The B team maintained their perfect Central League record as they made it four wins from four after a second-half brace from Jamie Proctor.
In usual B team fashion, Barrow elected to play a strong side with the likes of Ben Whitfield, David Worrall, and Tom White all making starts. Another notable starter was Junior Tiensia who was making his first start since late September having suffered a serious ankle injury.
Despite the strong line-up, Jason Taylor’s men started the match slowly as they struggled to maintain possession on the boggy pitch at Lostock Training Ground.
The hosts created the first chance of the match in the opening seven minutes when James Westwood had a speculative effort from range easily stopped by Josh Lillis in the Barrow goal.
As the first half developed, Barrow grew into the match as Ben Whitfield proved to be a real nuisance on the left side of midfield.
In the 18th minute, Whitfield made a clever run out wide where he curled a low ball across the face of the goal to Proctor, who could only flick the ball narrowly wide of the target.
Again, Whitfield continued to look lively, and five minutes later he curled another ball into the area, this time onto the head of Dom Telford who flicked the ball against a defender to earn his side a corner.
Unsurprisingly it was our number 34 who came closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half after Proctor flicked on a lofted clearance by Tyrell Warren into the path of Whitfield who drove dangerously toward goal, before blasting a shot with his left boot toward the top corner, only for the goalkeeper to push it away from danger.
Just like the first period, the home side started the second half on the front foot and was denied by Lillis in the 51st minute when he dived low to push away Gio Loureiro’s shot from close range.
At the other end, Jack Dallimore made a superb save after Barrow broke dangerously on the counter following a Bolton corner. Eventually White played a great ball through to Worrall with the outside of his boot and the former Port Vale man only had the keeper to beat as he tried to chip the outrushing Dallimore, but the young shot-stopper did very well to tip it behind for a corner.
After a rather quiet second period regarding goalmouth action, Barrow eventually took the lead in the 75th minute after Dallimore played a misplaced pass into the feet of Proctor who remained composed as he rolled the ball into the empty net.
Only 10 minutes later our lead was doubled when Bolton failed to play out from the back and Owen Bray intercepted the ball outside the penalty area. The youngster then unselfishly squared the ball to an unmarked Proctor who made it 2-0 with a calm finish into an empty net.
And that proved to be the final chance of the game as Taylor’s men secured another hard-fought victory against a youthful Wanderers side.
Barrow XI: Lillis, Tiensia, Mazeed, Foley, Warren, Worrall, White, Bray, Whitfield (Trialist 45), Telford (Etaluku 57), Proctor.
