Barrow left it late to rescue a point against Scunthorpe United as Robbie Gotts’ classy finish ten minutes from time ensured it was honours even at The Dunes Hotel Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Bluebirds were far from at their best in the encounter and didn’t really get into their stride until the closing stages on an evening when both sides missed penalties.
The visitors went at The Bluebirds from the first whistle and could have been ahead inside thirty seconds when the ball broke kindly for Jake Scrimshaw and his looping shot was turned round the post by Paul Farman.
The pressure continued and when the ball went back into the Barrow box, Mark Ellis was adjudged to have fouled Myles Hippolyte and Scunthorpe were awarded a penalty – only for front man Ryan Loft to smash his low effort wide of the post.
That all happened within the opening three minutes and it took a little time for Mark Cooper’s men to regain the composure but they slowly began enjoying a little more possession.
However, there wasn’t the same fluency that Bluebirds fans have become accustomed to this season and Scunthorpe almost seized on some sloppy defending to grab an opening goal but Hippolyte dragged a first-time shot off target.
Ollie Banks was attempting to influence things in the middle of the park and he drove forward towards the edge of The Iron box but his low shot lacked the venom to trouble keeper Rory Watson who collected easily down to his right.
As half time approached, Scrimshaw fond space to let fly from the left side of the area and his well-struck drive was parried round the post by Farman.
However, from the resultant corner delivered from the left, George Taft rose highest to power a header beyond Farman and send the visitors in 1-0 up at the break.
Cooper made a change at half time as James Jones was replaced by Josh Kay and he did inject a little more urgency into the Barrow play but they continued to struggle to create clear cut chances.
In fact, the first real moment of danger came at the other end on the hour mark when the ball fell kindly for Loft on the left corner of the box, but his fierce strike was comfortably held by Farman.
The Bluebirds responded with some of their best football of the half when the ball was worked cleverly into Offrande Zanzala back to goal on the edge of the box and he laid it off to Josh Gordon only for his low drive to go straight at keeper Rory Watson.
Barrow were handed a big opportunity on 73 minutes when Gordon’s cross from the right bounced up unkindly on Scunthorpe defender Tom Pugh and struck his arm. The referee was well placed to see it and pointed to the spot, but the usually reliable Banks saw his drilled penalty blocked by the feet of Watson and The Iron were reprieved.
However, the blow seemed to serve as a wake-up call for the home side. Moments later, Remeao Hutton drove to the right byline and fizzed a low cross in to substitute Dimitri Sea whose first-time shot was brilliantly parried away by Watson.
Cooper’s men continued to apply the pressure and another delivery from the right from Hutton found Mark Ellis at the far post and his downward header drew another fantastic save from Watson as Scunthorpe rocked.
Barrow wouldn’t take no for an answer and, as some players appealed for a penalty, Gotts didn’t wait for a decision and instead strode on to the loose ball on the edge of the area and guided a beautiful low shot into the bottom corner of the net to make it 1-1.
Gordon almost won it three minutes from time when he rose highest to head on goal, but the looping effort came back off the cross bar and Scunthorpe got it clear.
Kay had an opportunity a minute later when he cleverly slalomed between two defenders into the box only to see his low shot gathered by Watson down low.
Full Time: Barrow 1 Scunthorpe United 1
Barrow: Farman, Hutton, J Jones (Kay 46), Ellis, Grayson, Brough, Banks, Gotts, Stevens, Gordon, Zanzala (Sea 70).
Subs: Lillis, Arthur, White, Williams.
Booked: Brough.
Scunthorpe United: Watson, Millen, Taft, Onariase, Loft, Hippolyte (Beestin 59), Rowe, Thompson, Scrimshaw (Wood 65), Pugh, Hackney (Jarvis 77).
Subs not used: Collins, Wilson, O’Neill, Gallimore.
Booked: Hackney, Millen, Loft.
Referee: Ben Toner
Attendance: 2,739 (86 Scunthorpe United)