Another second minute Diarra goal earns a point- but denied penalty costs us two more!

[Barrow Lad]

Barrow: Dixon, Bignot, MacDonald, Dunne, Diarra, Barthram, Makoma, Gomis, Holt, Harrison, Jones
76: Diagne replaced Holt, Yussuf replaced Makoma
88: White replaced Harrison

GOAL: Diarra (2)

Wrexham: Dunn, Jennings, Smith, Pearson, Wedgbury, Holroyd, Miller, Carrington, Rutherford, Kelly, Roberts
85: Mackreth replaced Kelly
88: Massanka replaced Miller
90+3: Hurst replaced Pearson (injured)

GOAL: Pearson (25)

Booked: Wedgbury (90+3)

A disciplined team performance earned Barrow a deserved share of the spoils against Wrexham who were in second place at kick-off. Like Saturday at Woking, Moussa Diarra scored in the second minute and today was also unlucky not to win a second-half penalty after his cross was blocked in the area.

The Bank Holiday crowd of 1,649, including 258 Dragons fans, added to the atmosphere of the entertaining battle with both teams well up for the win. Barrow kicked off towards the Holker Street end and, little more than a minute in, earned a throw which Dan Jones launched into the area. Initially cleared, Jones then kicked the ball back into the area for Moussa Diarra to fire precisely past defenders and the keeper inside the right post for 1-0.

In the 6th minute, a Donovan Makoma shot was cleared; Jones’s corner kick resulted in a Diarra header which was cleared off the line. Ten minutes later, another Makoma shot was cleared for another corner.

Joel Dixon was first tested 18 minutes in following Wrexham’s first corner. Taken by ex-Bluebird Paul Rutherford, he received the ball back from Sam Wedgbury, and his goalbound cross was confidently collected.

In the 25th minute, the Dragons had another corner. However, this time Rutherford’s kick was headed home by Shaun Pearson for 1-1.

The next Wrexham corner four minutes later was not only cleared but resulted in a break down the left by Dan Jones, his long-range shot requiring a save from Chris Dunn. A good Barrow build up involving Gomis, Bignot and Makoma then resulted in a Jack Barthram shot being saved. Barrow then had a couple of corners cleared.

A long-range Chris Holroyd shot was saved by Dixon in the 43rd minute, but at half-time Barrow more than deserved to still be level, and in fact had edged the chances on goal.

As expected, the Dragons turned up the pressure in the second half, Barrow having to play deeper and having fewer opportunities on goal. Ten minutes in, Dixon did well to reach a Kevin Roberts cross, diverting it out of danger for Bignot to fully clear.

Dogged defending kept a wave of Wrexham attacks at bay- and, in the 68th minute, Barrow turned defence into attack. A Rutherford corner was cleared and Diarra broke away down the left. Passing to Makoma, seconds later he received the ball back, continued his run and crossed into the area towards the advancing Byron Harrison. En-route, the ball hit the arm of Kevin Roberts in the area. To the Barrow fans, it was handball and a stonewall penalty- but the officials decided otherwise.

With quarter of an hour remaining, the Bluebirds made two changes, Tony Diagne and Adi Yussuf replacing Grant Holt and Donovan Makoma. Wrexham continued to press; we not only contained this threat but made a few attacks ourselves.

Another ex-Bluebird, Jack Mackreth, replaced Marcus Kelly with 5 minutes of normal time to play. Shaun Pearson then went down injured and while he was being treated, both sides made 88th minute changes, Barrow’s final switch being White for Harrison while Wrexham replaced Miller with Massanka.

The match restarted with 5 minutes of added time announced. In the third of these, the injured Pearson was replaced by Hurst while Wedgbury was booked for a challenge as Barrow sought a last ditch winner. This was not to be, however, and both sides had to be content with a point. Although Barrow drop a place to 20th (and Wrexham two to 4th), we are 8 points above 21st placed Guiseley and only 5 points off the top half!

All in all, a really good team effort with Moussa Diarra’s excellent attacking and defending prowess earning him Man of the Match.