First half goalfest in entertaining battling 2-2 draw with Orient

[Barrow Lad]

Barrow: Dixon, Barthram, Dunne, Thompson, Hughes, Diagne, Harvey, Gomis, Clements, White, Harrison
70: Bauress replaced Gomis

GOALS: Gomis (23), White (41)

Booked: Clements (45+1, foul on Brophy); Bonne (90+8)

Leyton Orient: Grainger, Caprice, Widdowson, Lawless, Sendles-White, Mcanuff, Bonne, Mooney, Clay, Brophy, Ellis
72: Judd replaced Caprice
80: Happe replaced Sendles-White
86: Dayton replaced Mcanuff

Booked: Thompson (90+8)

GOALS: Mooney (19), Clay (27)

290 visiting fans contributed to a bumper 1,796 attendance (the £10 admission possibly also playing a part!), adding to the atmosphere of an exciting encounter between two teams desperate for points. In the 8th minute neither a Jobi Mcanuff corner for Orient nor a Chris Clements free kick following a foul on Harrison made any inroads but, in the 19th minute the first of four first half goals was scored by the visitors. A break down the left wing by James Brophy was followed by a precision cross for David Mooney to beat Joel Dixon from close range.

Four minutes later Barrow equalised, as Clements found Bedsente Gomis whose downward ball bounced in front of keeper Charlie Grainger- and over his head into the net! Another two minutes on, Craig Clay fouled Gomis. Alex-Ray Harvey’s 25 yard free kick was headed into the net by Byron Harrison- only for the linesman to rule it offside.

A further two minutes on, Orient found themselves in the lead instead. Following a foul on Brophy, a Mcanuff free kick into the area was blocked a couple of times by Dixon, only for Clay to bundle in from close range for 2-1.

In the 33rd minute, Harrison headed over from a Harvey free kick as Barrow endeavoured to level again. Three minutes later, good work on the left by Jimmy Dunne delivered a telling cross which went wide of the right post. In the 40th minute, an Orient corner taken by Brophy resulted in Clay heading straight at Dixon.

A minute later, Barrow finally found the net again. Following a good build up involving Gomis and Clements, Jordan White headed in at the right post.

Following a Harvey corner in the 44th minute, Tony Diagne rolled the ball into the area but neither Dunne nor White could make the vital touch to beat Grainger from close range. In time added, Clements was booked for a foul on Brophy, but Mcnuff skied his free kick from the edge of the area.

Less than two minutes into the second half, a Mooney shot from a Boone cross went wide; ten minutes in Dixon saved from both Mooney and Bonne as Orient sought to regain the lead.

However, Barrow were up to the pressure and in the 74th minute (after Bauress had replaced Gomis and Orient had brought on Judd for Caprice) a Harvey free kick gave man of the match Liam Hughes a header on goal, but Grainger saved.

Another good build up by Hughes, Harvey and White tested Orients’ defence before Harrison just failed to connect with an excellent ball forward from Hughes.

With ten minutes remaining, Happe replaced Sendles-White for Orient. Five minutes later, a Judd cross was collected by Dixon as Dayton came on for Mcanuff. In the first minute of added time, a ball in the area by Harrison was handled but the penalty shout was ignored. Eight minutes of frantic added time concluded with a player from each side being booked, indicative of the competitive nature of the game throughout!

Barrow remain in 20th while Orient fall to 18th. However, this was a good battling effort by the Bluebirds today which gave renewed hope for the much needed climb up the table in coming weeks.

[Dalton Bluebird]

Just watched the highlights and Whites goal was a tap in not a header. Good reports though, keep em coming.

[Barrow Lad]

Apologies for the error! Cheers for pointing it out.