Barrow were beaten on the day fans returned to The Progression Solicitors Stadium as Ash Hunter’s early second half goal was enough to give Salford City all three points.

The Bluebirds were arguably the better side throughout the contest and unquestionably created the better of the chances but found Ammies keeper Vaclav Hladky in inspired form for the visitors.

David Dunn opted to shake things up by making five changes to his line-up as Tom Beadling made a surprise return from a groin injury and Jayden Reid was handed his first league start for the Club.

The players were given a rapturous welcome from an excited crowd inside the stadium as they made their way out of the tunnel and on to the pitch.

Despite the atmosphere, the action was slow during the opening fifteen minutes with the only real drama arriving when the linesman was forced off with an injury and the Fourth Official was forced to take the flag.

Scott Quigley attempted to breathe life in to proceedings with a smart turn and shot from distance but his left-foot effort lacked the power to trouble Vaclav Hladky in the City goal.

At the other end Joel Dixon had to be alert to prevent the visitors stealing the opening goal when a left-wing corner was flicked on at the front post but the Barrow keeper was well-placed to collect.

There was a controversial moment on 21 minutes when Luke James nodded the ball in to Quigley’s path and he travelled in to the area before going down under pressure from a defender. The crowd made it clear they thought a penalty should have been awarded but instead the referee showed the Bluebirds striker a yellow card for diving.

Quigley continued to cause problems though and the next time he got possession in the box he did well to engineer a shooting opportunity but his low drive was well blocked by Hladky.

The Czech stopper pulled off an even better save just after the half-hour mark when the ball sat up nicely for Quigley to volley twenty yards from goal but this time Hladky somehow turned it round the post just as it looked set to nestle in the top corner.

There was more great work from Hladky in first half injury-time when Quigley again got the better of the Salford defence down the left but the keeper made a fine save with his feet before Reid fired the rebound over.

Having shaded the first period, Barrow found themselves behind inside five minutes of the restart as City grabbed a goal out of nothing. The dangerous Ash Hunter got possession on the left and cut back on his right foot before delivering a wicked looping ball in to the box which cannoned off the far post and in to the net.

Barrow could have been level within a minute when some good football opened up The Ammies defence and gave Quigley an opening, but he dragged his shot wide from just inside the box.

James then came even closer when he turned brilliantly on the edge of the box to find space to let fly with a low drive which flew agonisingly wide of the left-hand post.

It was then Hladky who came to Salford’s rescue again as Kay’s free kick in to the box dropped kindly for Reid but the loan star’s low drive was brilliantly blocked by the in-form keeper.

City could have extended their lead on 77 minutes when Ibou Touray got forward on the left but his low shot across goal was well parried away by Dixon and Barrow were able to clear.

There was an almighty scramble inside the City area deep in stoppage time as Barrow caused problems from a corner but the fact the ball didn’t end up in the net summed up a luckless afternoon for The Bluebirds.

Full Time: Barrow 0 Salford City 1

Barrow: Dixon, Brown, Wilson, Platt, Ntlhe (Brough 44), Kay, Beadling (Biggins 71), C Taylor, James, Reid (Angus 71), Quigley.
Subs not used: Lillis, Hird, J Taylor.

Booked: Quigley.

Salford City: Hladky, Eastham, Touray, Bernard, Lowe, Denny, Henderson, Andrade (Elliott 75), Burgess (Turnbull 75), Hunter (Towell 61 (Smith 83)), Clarke.
Subs not used: Hayes.

Booked: Clarke, Towell, Smith, Lowe.

Referee: Tom Nield

Attendance: 819