Barrow was defeated on the road as Gillingham secured a 3-0 win over The Bluebirds.
Coming into the match, Pete Wild made five changes from the side that was defeated by Swindon Town last weekend as Niall Canavan, Elliot Newby, Sam Foley, Emile Acquah, and Dean Campbell all came into the starting XI.
Barrow nearly found themselves 1-0 in front after only three minutes when Campbell’s corner was flicked on by Acquah, to James Chester at the back post who slid in only to see his effort cleared off the line.
Barrow continued their strong start to the match in the tenth minute when Acquah teed the ball off to Campbell on the edge of the area and he had a low shot well gathered by the keeper.
After a good start from Barrow, The Gills recorded their first meaningful effort of the afternoon in the 13th minute when Paul Farman smothered Jonny Williams’ effort from close range.
However, after a great start things soon halted for Barrow in the 21st minute after George Ray was sent off for a high challenge on Josh Walker.
After a prolonged stoppage in the game following Ray’s challenge on Walker, both sides struggled to hold onto the ball as Barrow looked to defend the 0-0 score line.
But in first-half stoppage time, the hosts broke the deadlock when a long ball over the top of the Barrow defence found Josh Andrew and he rounded Paul Farman before tapping the ball into the empty net.
The hosts began the second period strongly and were rewarded for their efforts with another goal in the 55th minute after a low cross was fizzed into the Barrow penalty area with the ball ricocheting off a black shirt and into the back of the net.
The Gills didn’t stop there though and they made it 3-0 in the 63rd minute when Connor Mahoney rounded Paul Farman.
That goal didn’t stop Barrow from pushing for one of their own as Wild’s men pushed and pushed all the way to the final whistle.
Substitute Kian Spence did well to curl his free kick from 25 yards over the wall in the 87th minute, but the Gillingham keeper got down well to catch the ball.
In stoppage time fellow substitute Jamie Proctor went even closer when the keeper saved his header from close range. The rebound then fell kindly to Ben Whitfield who sliced the ball wide of the target.
And that proved to be the final chance of the game as Barrow suffered a 3-0 defeat. However, the Bluebirds still remain in sixth place in the League Two table.
Barrow XI: Farman, Feely, Ray, Canavan, Chester, Newby, Campbell (Stephenson 71), Gotts (Spence 58), Foley, Acquah (Proctor 58), Whitfield.
