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Feature

Barrovian Bedlam: Barrow 2-1 Stevenage

1 December 2022

Barrow skipper Paul Jones lifts the FA Trophy at Wembley.
Feature

Barrovian Bedlam: Barrow 2-1 Stevenage

1 December 2022

Ahead of Friday's Sky Bet League Two clash with Stevenage, we dip into the archives to take a look back at that day in 2010, when over 8,000 Barrovians descended on the nation's capital to witness Barrow lift the FA Trophy at Wembley Stadium for a second time.

Andrew Drury gave Boro the lead with a sweet 20-yard strike before team mate David Bridges was sent off for a challenge with Andy Bond.

Lee McEvilly headed an equaliser but Barrow's Robin Hulbert was red carded after an elbow on Charlie Griffin.

A dramatic clash then had the finish it deserved as Walker fired in the winner.

Walker's wonder strike came two minutes into the second period of extra time in a cup final of epic proportions.

And it marked scenes of celebration to compare with 1990, when Colin Cowperthwaite's brace helped them to a 3-0 win against Leek Town.

Holders Stevenage were looking for their third Trophy win in four years to go with their Blue Square Premier title - but they were thwarted by a spirited display from the Cumbrian side.

Barrow started the brighter of the two teams, but they could do nothing about Drury's left-foot stunner from 20 yards which flew beyond keeper Stuart Tomlinson.

The goal hit the Bluebirds hard, and they could have gone further behind but a goalmouth scramble ended with the ball being hacked clear by a frantic Barrow defence.

But Bridges' sending off was a turning point in a feisty clash, and it allowed Barrow to gain the possession they were otherwise struggling to find.

Simon Wiles and Paul Rutherford began to exploit the space in the final third as they looked to carve Stevenage open, although Boro keeper Chris Day remained largely untroubled.

The blistering pace of Yemi Odubade provided a constant outlet for Boro, the former Oxford United man being unfortunate not to win a penalty after a hefty challenge from Paul Edwards.

The Hertfordshire side almost won it when Jon Ashton flashed a header wide from a corner.

The miss proved crucial when, moments later, substitute McEvilly, who had only been on the pitch for five minutes, planted his head on a Rutherford cross, guiding the ball beyond a hapless Day.

The game suffered its second sending off deep into stoppage time when Hulbert's elbow led to Griffin being taken off on a stretcher. And, with Stevenage having used all their substitutes, Graham Westley's side had to soldier on with nine men.

With the additional space created by the two red cards and the Griffin injury, both sides looked to exploit the width of the pitch in extra time and first Odubade and then Edwards came close with rasping shots that flashed just wide.

But it was left to local lad Walker to fire his side to FA Trophy glory with that blistering effort that sent the Cumbrian fans into raptures and crown his season as Barrow's 21-goal top scorer.

Barrow: Tomlinson, Spender, Edwards, Jones, Bolland, Wiles (Logan 64), Hulbert, Bond, Walker, Blundell (McEvilly 74), Rutherford (Boyd 110).
Subs not used: Deasy, Pearson.

Goals: McEvilly 79, Walker 107

Stevenage: Day (Bayes 90), Laird, Ashton, Odubade, Byrom (Wilson 59), Roberts, Bridges, Beardsley (Griffin 66), Drury, Bostwick, Henry.
Subs not used: Bayes, Long, Vincenti.

Goals: Drury 10.

Full Time: Barrow 2-1 Stevenage Borough
Att:
 21,223.
Referee: Lee Probert


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