Barrow were once again left to ponder defeat as they were beaten at Sutton United despite dominating for long periods in the wind and rain of Gander Green Lane.
The Bluebirds had a catalogue of very presentable chances to have ended their search for a goal but could not find the breakthrough and it was David Ajiboye’s 16th-minute goal which settled the affair in the home side’s favour.
Sutton showed the greater menace in the opening exchanges and could have gone in front on four minutes when Ajiboye drove to the right byline and delivered a low cross, but Will Randall pushed his shot wide at the front post.
Randall lined up again not long afterwards as Sutton pressed but this time, as the ball found him in space on the edge of the penalty area, he fired over.
Barrow’s best chance came on 14 minutes when a windswept ball found Josh Kay on the left and he ghosted past his man and into the box before rolling a pass to Offrande Zanzala only for keeper Dean Bouzanis to block the striker’s low effort.
It proved costly because the home side took the lead just two minutes later when the dangerous Aljiboye cut inside past two Barrow challenges before despatching a curling low drive beyond Paul Farman and into the far corner of the net.
The Bluebirds should have been level almost instantly when Zanzala superbly controlled a ball over the top, but his second touch didn’t match his first as he nudged a shot wide of goal.
Isaac Olaofe might feel he should have done better when Sutton worked to keep a left-wing corner alive inside the Barrow box, but the Sutton front man couldn’t send a shot on target from close range.
Tom White then came close to levelling things just before the break when one of Barrow’s numerous first half corners fell to the midfielder 20 yards out, but his low drive kept just wide of the post.
Sutton looked to get on the front foot at the start of the second half and Kenny Davis bent an effort towards goal, but it was too high to trouble Farman.
Barrow responded with some neat football as Robbie Gotts turned swiftly on the halfway line to feed Josh Gordon who cut inside onto his left foot, but couldn’t generate enough power to beat Bouzanis who collected down to his left.
Ajiboye was never far from the action though and he could have made it 2-0 when collecting the ball on the edge of the box, but his low strike was claimed by Farman to his right.
Farman was called into action again moments later when Omar Bugiel let fly from 25 yards but again the Bluebirds keeper was down quickly to make a smart save.
Kay then came agonisingly close to making it 1-1 when Zanzala turned to tee him up on the left corner of the box, but his low drive took a deflection and flashed into the side netting.
Sutton were fortunate not to be reduced to ten men inside the final 20 minutes when Omar Bugiel committed a foul to prevent Barrow launched a counter-attack, but the referee decided not to show a second yellow card to the front man. He was then immediately substituted.
Mark Cooper flung on Mark Ellis up front for the closing stages, and he headed an effort just wide before Gotts saw a thunderous drive superbly tipped over the bar by Bouzanis as time ticked away.
Farman produced some smart goalkeeping right on 90 minutes when some slack defending presented substitute Donovan Wilson with a chance – the Bluebirds keeper got down quickly to paw the ball away from the Sutton man’s feet.
The keeper got involved at the other end when he went upfield for an injury time corner as The Bluebirds threw everything at their hosts but could not find the all-important equaliser.
Full Time: Sutton United 1 Barrow 0
Sutton United: Bouzanis, Barden, Goodliffe, John, Milsom, Eastmond, Davis, Randall, Ajiboye, Olaofe (Wilson 78), Bugiel (Bennett 73).
Subs not used: House, Wyatt, Korboa, Dundas.
Booked: Goodliffe, Bugiel, Bouzanis.
Barrow: Farman, J Jones, Platt, Grayson, Banks, Gotts, White, Kay, Stevens (Hutton 46), Gordon (Ellis 82), Zanzala.
Subs not used: Lillis, Arthur, M Jones, Taylor.
Booked: Kay, Banks.
Referee: Brett Huxtable
Attendance: 3,678 (164 Barrow)