The Bluebirds picked up a point against a very tough to-break-down Harrogate Town side.
Going into the game, Pete Wild named an unchained side, with striker Cole Stockton starting his first game after winning the Sky Bet League Two goal of the month award for February.
It was Harrogate who got the game underway, and the first chance came in the second minute when Paul Farman got down well to save Matty Daly’s shot from close range superbly.
The Cumbrian side began to pile on the pressure, and were almost rewarded for their efforts after Rory Feely carried the ball from the defense into the attacking half, he then had an effort from outside the box come crashing off the crossbar after a shot from a distance.
Barrow continued to dominate the first half and was awarded a penalty, after Robbie Gotts made a run into the box, but was brought down by Warren Burrell. Dean Campbell stepped up for the spot kick, but his penalty was saved well by The Sulphurites keeper, James Belshaw.
As the first half came to an end, the final chance fell to Gotts after he received the ball from Luca Stephenson and took on a left-footed from outside the box, but his opportunity blazed over the Harrogate goal and out for a goal kick.
Wild’s men began the second half in the same form they ended the first and came closest when Elliott Newby played a one-two with Emile Acquah on the edge of the box and took his chances with a long-range shot which just whisked wide of the left-post.
The Bluebirds continued to create a barrage of chances, and were inches away from making a breakthrough, after Newby made a curling cross into the box to Acquah, whose outstretched leg flicked the ball just over Belshaw and the Harrogate goal, resulting in a goal kick.
The Sulphurites soaked up the pressure from the Cumbrians, and in turn came close to scoring with 30 minutes remaining, when George Thomson carried the ball on the edge of the area and took a chance from long range, the ball ricocheted off several bodies, and was cleared by George Ray.
The resulting counterattack saw Barrow maraud up the field and Ben Whitfield receive the ball from 20 yards out, he then reacted quickest with the ball and took on a curling effort from the left side of the pitch, but the ball fizzed past the post and into the side netting.
After being under the cosh for most of the second half, the Yorkshire side began to get a foothold in the game and were nearly awarded a penalty after Jeremy Sivi played it into Josh March, who was brought down in the area by substitute Tyrell Warren but was offside when he received the ball and the referee gave the free kick to the Bluebirds with five minutes remaining.
The final chance of the game fell to the Bluebirds when Whitfield played the ball into Dom Telford in the centre of the box, but his left-footed shot was cleared off the line by The Sulphurites, as Wild’s men gained another point in their push for promotion.
Farman ©, Campbell (White 81’), Ray (Warren 73’), Spence, Newby (Whitfield 64’), Gotts (Foley 73’), Chester, Stephenson, Acquah (Telford 73’), Stockton, Feely.
Words by Dylan Whitbread
