Barrow secured their first opening day away win since 2009, with a 3-2 victory over EFL returnees Stockport County at Edgeley Park.
Barrow were on the attack straight from kick-off, as Tyrell Warren looked to get the season off to a great start with an early goal, but Ben Hinchliffe managed to hold onto the left back's shot.
The constant early threat reaped its own rewards after 6 minutes, when Josh Gordon ran at the Stockport back line and drove a shot into the bottom right corner from 25 yards to open the scoring for Barrow.
The sell out home crowd were silenced when former Stockport man Ben Whitfield cut in on the left and fired a shot past Hinchliffe to double Barrow’s advantage.
Josh Gordon came close to doubling his tally for the afternoon when his header from Billy Waters’ cross found the side netting.
2-0 turned to 3-0 just 10 minutes later, when Waters himself curled home an effort to send the 991 travelling Barrow fans into jubilation.
Pete Wild’s side went into the break 3-0 up, but Stockport were fast out of the traps to start the second half, and it was Antoni Saracenic that got himself on the scoresheet, as his scuffed effort found its way past an off-balance Paul Farman on 49 minutes.
It was the home side that looked the more likely to add another, when Fraser Horsfall’s effort grazed over the bar in the 63rd minute.
County did eventually add to their tally, when Paddy Madden met an in-swinging cross with his head, pumping the Cheadle End back into life and cutting Barrow’s lead down to just a single goal.
Barrow looked to try and restore their two goal advantage straight away, when Billy Waters forced a low save from the Stockport goalkeeper at the near post; his powerful effort palmed out for a corner.
Stockport kept coming at Barrow. Paul Farman made a spectacular save in the 83rd minute to deny Horsfall from levelling the scoreline, and debutant Tyrell Warren pulled off a fantastic last-ditch tackle to steal the ball from the feet of Paddy Madden in the box.
There was drama in the last stages of added time, when referee Ollie Yates pointed to the spot, but after a consultation with his linesman, he awarded a free kick to Barrow instead.
Barrow saw out the final stages and sealed a first victory away from home on the opening day since Cambridge United in 2009.
Final Score: Stockport County 2 Barrow 3
Attendance: 10,011 (991 away)