Barrow were forced to settle for a point after Carlisle United struck a late leveller to secure a share of the spoils from an absorbing encounter at The Progression Solicitors Stadium.
The hosts looked on course for a derby victory after goals from Scott Quigley and Patrick Brough saw them recover from conceding an early opener to lead until Offrande Zanzala’s penalty twelve minutes from time.
The Bluebirds suffered an awful start to the game when Carlisle went in front from a corner just three minutes into the contest as Callum Guy’s right-wing set-piece picked out Jack Armer whose powerful header flashed beyond Joel Dixon.
It was a setback which Barrow struggled to recover from in the opening quarter-hour as the visitors continued to set the pace and Joe Riley came close to adding a second after cutting inside from the right, but he dragged a shot wide of the near post.
However, the game turned on 19 minutes when Barrow applied some pressure on the edge of the area where Kgose Ntlhe did well to keep the ball alive and his looping header fell kindly for Scott Quigley who turned swiftly to drill an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner.
Five minutes later The Bluebirds were in front. Quigley this time turned provider as he charged down a clearance on the right before driving forward to find a pass along the edge of the area for the arriving Patrick Brough who took a confident first touch and then slipped it home clinically.
Riley had a half-chance to bring The Cumbrians level on the stroke of half time when he seized on a loose clearance, but his effort flew just too high to trouble Dixon.
Quigley could have added a third goal for Barrow early in the second half when he got in behind but his touch let him down, while good defending denied the striker when through down the right not long afterwards.
Barrow were made to battle hard to protect their lead but Aaron Hayden came agonisingly close to levelling on 72 minutes when he header from a free kick dropped just wide of the post.
At the other end, Luke James fired just over from twelve yards after Bobby Thomas’ long throw from the right caused problems in the Carlisle penalty area.
However, the visitors were back on level terms on 78 minutes after their pressure led to the award of a penalty kick which was confidently tucked away by Offrande Zanzala.
Rob Kelly threw Calvin Andrew on for the final ten minutes as he continued to look for a victory but a tense finish saw the sides share the derby spoils at The Progression Solicitors Stadium.
Full Time: Barrow 2 Carlisle United 2
Barrow: Dixon, Barry, Eardley (J Taylor 46), J Jones, Thomas, Brough, Ntlhe, C Taylor (Beadling 79), Banks (Andrew 82), James, Quigley.
Subs: Moloney, Beadling, Kay, Sea.
Carlisle United: Farman, Tanner (Anderton 63), Hayden, Riley (Toure 63), Guy, Alessandra, Patrick, Mellish, McDonald, Armer (Devine 94).
Subs not used: Norman, Charters, Furman, Walker.
Booked: Mellish, Tanner, Guy.
Referee: Seb Stockbridge
Attendance: Behind Closed Doors