Calvin Andrew’s first goal for the Club was not enough to prevent Barrow from falling to a narrow defeat to Stevenage at The Lamex Stadium on Saturday.
The new signing came off the bench to equalise with an excellent header twelve minutes from time to cancel out Elliott List’s opener for the home side.
However, a debatable penalty was awarded to the hosts five minutes from the end and Luke Norris slammed it home to extend their unbeaten run to ten games and condemn The Bluebirds to defeat.
It was a high tempo start in Hertfordshire with the hosts first to get on the front foot on five minutes when Luke Norris tested Joel Dixon with a low drive from the right edge of the box which was held by the keeper.
The home side played with real confidence in the opening period and the dangerous Elliott List got in behind the Barrow defence only to strike the side-netting after being closed down sharply by Dixon.
List tried his luck again midway through the first half after spinning into some space twenty yards from goal but this time he sent his effort too high to trouble Dixon.
Barrow grew into the game as it went on and had their first sight of goal just before the half hour mark when Josh Kay escaped down the right but his powerful low shot fizzed across keeper Jamie Cumming and wide of the target.
The breakthrough arrived eight minutes after the break when Stevenage went in front. A low ball in from the right was bundled past Dixon by List at the front post to give the hosts the advantage.
It could have got worse for Barrow just before the hour when a right-wing corner found Luke Prosser but the centre-back’s powerful header dropped just wide of the upright.
Alex Revell’s men were looking a handful and created another opening when a ball was dropped into the far post from the right but Norris could only fire his volley wide on the stretch.
James Jones then got on the end of a right-wing corner at the other end but could only send his glancing header across goal and wide of the far post.
The Bluebirds then had Dixon to thank for some decisive keeping as he darted from his line to block a shot from List after some hesitant defending in front of him.
Rob Kelly threw the dice with a triple change as Ollie Banks, Jamie Devitt and Luke James were all introduced; Devitt was straight into the action and his testing cross was half cleared to Kay but his shot was held by Cumming.
The caretaker boss gambled further when he threw Calvin Andrew into the fray and the big front man paid him back with a leveller on 78 minutes. An incisive pass from Banks opened things up for Devitt who threaded it wide right for Barry and, when he clipped an inviting ball into the middle, Andrew glanced a perfect header down and into the far corner.
It looked as though Andrew’s goal would be enough to rescue a draw, but Stevenage won a penalty five minutes from time when Barry was adjudged to have felled his man just inside the box. Norris confidently struck home the resultant spot-kick to restore the home side’s lead and clinch the points.
Full Time: Stevenage 2 Barrow 1
Stevenage: Cumming, James-Wildin, Coker, Cuthbert, Prosser, Osborne (Smith 83), List (Stevens 83), Read (Aitchison 83), Pett, Norris (Vincelot 91), Lines (Martin 91).
Subs: Johnson, Hutton.
Barrow: Dixon, Barry, J Jones, Thomas, Ntlhe (Banks 67), Brough, J Taylor (Devitt 67), C Taylor, Beadling (James 67), Kay, Quigley (Andrew 75).
Subs: Moloney, Eardley.
Booked: Banks, Barry, C Taylor.
Referee: James Adcock
Attendance: Behind Closed Doors