Barrow got back to winning ways as Ollie Banks and Josh Gordon were on target in a thumping victory over high-flying Swindon Town at The Dunes Hotel.
Both goals came from the penalty spot in an encounter which boiled over after the final whistle with Town’s frustrated skipper Dion Conroy shown a straight red card.
Robins boss Ben Garner had claimed Swindon should be presented with the three points if bad weather meant the game was postponed on the day. However, there was never much chance of either event occurring, as his side were convincingly beaten for a second successive game.
Swindon showed early on their comfort on the ball and began knocking it around with the confidence of a side who had only been beaten once away from home all season.
However, The Bluebirds grew into it and threatened first when Offrande Zanzala and Robbie Gotts linked-up well on the edge of the penalty area but the Town defence just about closed the door on the opportunity and were able to clear.
The dangerous Jack Payne tried a clever effort from a free kick on the right, whipping a shot towards the near post in an attempt to catch Paul Farman out but the Barrow stopped was equal to it.
There were big appeals for a Barrow penalty on 14 minutes when the lively Gotts skipped into the Swindon box and went down under a challenge, but the referee was well placed and uninterested.
Barrow continued to press though and put together some good football at times; Gotts and Zanzala again combined well to open up The Robins’ defence only for Gotts to drill a shot just too high from 20 yards.
Swindon responded when a nice move down the left freed Tyreece Simpson and he drove into the Barrow box before electing to shoot from a narrow angle and he could only find the side-netting with the effort. Ben Gladwin also dragged a shot wide as the visitors showed some menace.
However, Barrow were soon back on the front foot and a lovely ball from Gotts freed Jordan Stevens on the right of the penalty area, but some good defending saw his powerful drive blocked.
Farman was then called into action at the other end when some Swindon pressure led to a low shot from Kaine Kesler-Hayden which picked up a deflection before the Bluebirds keeper excellently pushed it round the post.
Cooper’s side produced more good play in first half injury-time as Gotts found space on the right of the box to deliver a low ball across the face of goal but Stevens couldn’t connect cleanly with his first-time shot and Town survived.
Barrow were forced into a half time change as Mark Ellis was replaced by Matt Platt, but it was fellow defender Joe Grayson who almost opened Town up on 54 minutes when he drove through the visitors’ defence before prodding an effort just wide.
The Bluebirds began knocking it around with a little bit of a swagger and got their rewards just after the hour mark when the excellent Gotts showed great tenacity to drive to the left byline before drilling a cross into the box which struck a defender’s arm. The referee pointed to the penalty spot and Ollie Banks gleefully rammed home the kick to end Barrow’s run without a goal and put them 1-0 up against The Robins.
It could even have been 2-0 on 72 minutes when Barrow again worked the ball forward well and Gotts drilled a shot on goal which took a deflection before hitting the base of the post and coming out.
The points were safe three minutes from time when Barrow stormed upfield on the counter-attack and Josh Gordon teed up Remeao Hutton to shoot. His effort was saved and then Patrick Brough was upended from the follow-up to provide The Bluebirds with a second penalty. Gordon took responsibility this time and he casually stroked home to make it 2-0.
Barrow could even have crowned their victory in the final minute when Hutton released Banks through on the right of goal, but his effort flashed just too high to trouble goalkeeper Jojo Wollacott.
Full Time: Barrow 2 Swindon Town 0
Barrow: Farman, Brown, J Jones, Ellis (Platt 46), Grayson, Brough, White, Banks, Gotts, Stevens (Hutton 73), Zanzala (Gordon 63).
Subs not used: Lillis, M Jones, Taylor.
Booked: Brown, Gotts, Banks, Farman, J Jones.
Swindon Town: Wollacott, Odimayo, Iandolo, Conroy, Gladwin, Simpson, Payne, McKirdy (Mitchell-Lawson 79), Kesler-Hayden, Hunt (Gilbert 85), East (Williams 69).
Subs not used: Ward, Crichlow, Lyden, Dabre.
Booked: Gladwin, McKirdy, Mitchell-Lawson.
Sent-off: Conroy
Referee: Ollie Yates
Attendance: 2,863 (577 Swindon Town)