Robbie Gotts scored his first goal for the Club but The Bluebirds were forced to settle for a share of the spoils in their encounter with Leyton Orient at The Dunes Hotel Stadium.

The former Leeds United man smashed in the opener just after half time, but Omar Beckles’ close-range finish ensured the sides were locked together at 1-1 when the final whistle sounded.

A scrappy affair produced very little in the way of talking points during the first ten minutes, with Mark Ellis having the first effort on goal when a half-cleared corner fell to him on the edge of the area, but his shot was blocked.

Orient responded when their direct approach caused problems on the quarter-hour mark, but Aaron Drinan couldn’t apply a finishing touch after threatening to get on the end of a long ball forward.

Robbie Gotts dragged an effort wide of the target from long-range before Ellis then blocked a shot from Alex Mitchell after the Orient man took up a threatening position inside the box.

On 25 minutes, a right-wing corner from Gotts dropped in front of James Jones and the defender volleyed an effort on goal which was brilliantly blocked on the line by O’s midfielder Craig Clay.

Joe Grayson then dropped a dangerous free kick into the visitors’ penalty area which was agonisingly close to falling perfectly for Josh Gordon, but the striker just couldn’t stretch enough to prod home and Orient keeper Lawrence Vigouroux gratefully leapt on the loose ball.

The Bluebirds had Paul Farman to thank in the final minute of the first half when Harry Smith’s headed down dropped into the path of Theo Archibald and his powerful drive was brilliantly parried away by the Barrow keeper.

Mark Cooper’s men were in front within three minutes of the restart. A brilliant through ball from Remeao Hutton sent Gotts through on goal and he confidently rammed it into the top corner to put The Bluebirds ahead with his first goal for the Club.

The setback seemed to spur the visitors on though and they could have levelled almost immediately when they launched a rapid counter-attack down the right but the ball across couldn’t find Archibald in the middle despite him desperately hurling himself towards it.

The O’s came even closer just before the hour mark when Archibald sent a low shot towards the bottom corner of the net, only for Farman to produce a remarkable reaction save to preserve Barrow’s lead.

The Bluebirds were close to extending their advantage midway through the second period when Gotts laid the ball left into the path of the arriving Patrick Brough, but his powerful drive crashed into the bar on its way over.

And Barrow were made to pay just moments later when they failed to deal with an Orient corner and Omar Beckles was in the right place to rifle a leveller into the roof of the net from close range for the visitors.

George Williams came off the bench and headed a corner just wide as Barrow looked to get back in front but Farman had to produce more heroics to prevent Orient pinching it in the final minute when Archibald again threatened.

There was just about time for another opportunity at the other end in injury time when the industrious Josh Gordon wrestled back possession to feed a low ball into the front post but Williams’ couldn’t keep it down and his effort flew too high.

Full Time: Barrow 1 Leyton Orient 1

Barrow: Farman, Hutton, J Jones, Ellis, Grayson, Brough, White (Kay 76), Gotts, Stevens, Gordon, Zanzala (Williams 82).
Subs not used: Lillis, Moloney, Arthur, Taylor.

Leyton Orient: Vigouroux, Wood, Clay, Smith, Archibald, Mitchell, Drinan (Sotiriou 55), Pratley, Beckles, Ogie, Kyprianou.
Subs not used: Happe, Kemp, Omotoye, Papadopoulos, Sweeney, Byrne.

Booked: Archibald, Wood.

Referee: Peter Wright

Attendance: 3,374 (269 Leyton Orient)