BARROW v Crawley match thread

[McMark]

That was awful

Where's Ellis

Has covid and Stevens awaiting tests for the same.

[Barrow Lad New]

Barrow’s poor run of league results continued with Crawley leapfrogging us down to 19th place. It was a lacklustre encounter with few chances between two below-par teams. Like the Carlisle match, it seemed destined for 0-0 but one inspired quick Crawley attack which cut through our defence sealed the points for the visitors.

We started brightly and an inswinging Grayson corner won by Hutton in the 7th minute was cleared at the far post by keeper Morris. Platt then won a free kick near the left corner and Gotts’ shot went past the right post.

However, Crawley grew into the game and won two corners in the 15th minute. Seven minutes later, Appiah shot from 20 yards wide of the right-post. Banks was booked for a foul on Tilley in the 27th minute.

Barrow did have an opportunity in the 44th minute when Hutton let fly from the edge of the area but the ball sailed well over the bar.

The second half again saw Barrow start well, a ball forward from Grayson in the first minute giving James a cross right along the goal-line, but with no one to make the final contact. Two minutes later, a Brough shot from 20 yards was saved.

In the 50th minute, a free kick from Tilley who had been fouled 25 yards out went just past the left post.

A minute later, Grayson had a free kick in a similar position which led to a Jones header from close range which was blocked on the line. Another four minutes on, Grayson had another free kick but Zanzala headed over the bar.

We would rue missing these half chances as in the 56th minute, a fast incisive attack by the visitors saw Appiah feed a ball through to Tilley who fired into the right corner.

On the hour, Farman had to punch away a Tilley corner, then James and Jones made way for Kay and White. Brough was then unlucky to be booked for an adjudged foul on Appiah.

In the 69th minute, Crawley also made two changes, Nichols and Ferry coming on for Nadeson and Frost.

Five minutes later, a long-range Gotts shot from 30 yards went wide of the left post and then a Grayson effort was saved easily. A foul on Grayson in the 82nd minute gave Gotts a free kick which was saved. In the 89th minute, Grayson had a great chance from close range to level the score but it was not to be.

Good attendance of 3,429 including 69 visiting fans. Brough was given Barrow’s man of the match. A draw would probably have been a fair result but we didn’t take our few chances and were hit once on the break.

[blue nige]

The question people should be asking is WHY is all gone pear-shaped?
I'M sick of listening to Mark Cooper constantly stating the obvious but doing nothing about it ,there's something sadly wrong if the players aren't putting a shft in ,our directors need to get a grip and tell players we're not having this any more!

[HenneysKnee]

You would think after barely playing Luke James would be bang up to make an impression…..nah not today

Nowhere near good enough as I’ve said repeatedly. We could sign Mo Farah on a free if we just want someone who will run around a lot

[bluessupporter]

Att,3429 with 69 happy from Crawley.

Great attendance, shame about the game

How many were kids on the free tickets?

[Jim]

Something needs to happen,even if it means getting rid of some players.

Well, he said he knows which players need to go and what he needs to replace them in January. Possibly, some of the alleged lack of effort today was from players who know their time is almost up.

[Roadrunner]

They're poor and we are just as bad.

we wern't that good

[Roadrunner]

Get Jason Walker on

He's not even on the bench

[bluessupporter]

That’s all he ever says - he’s waiting for January. A decent manager should at least be able to motivate the players he has. Seems Cooper can’t do that. Perhaps his own negative persona is a factor.
With the next three games away from home I can only see us going one way.

[mickycarrol]

You would think after barely playing Luke James would be bang up to make an impression…..nah not today

Nowhere near good enough as I’ve said repeatedly. We could sign Mo Farah on a free if we just want someone who will run around a lot

Can’t help but 100% agree

[Tony]

Take the grass training pitch away

[blue nige]

Take the grass training pitch away

[Ghostof72]

I would rather be a team that plays with flair and stays in the game than the hoof ball team we are at the moment. Weve gone from being an entertaining atracking team to watch to what we saw today in the space of five or six weeks, this tactical change has put us in reverse.

Absolutely, we've gone from dominating the ball whilst playing some good stuff to being absolutely dire nullifying our own threat through the application of our own shite tactics, sadly achieving a worse end result in the process.

We've broken the side in a very short time, its difficult to switch styles on and off, it nearly always effects confidence when you start setting up not to be beat so it's no surprise we look a bit off it.

It looks like a couple of players may be treading water waiting for the door to open in January and aren't risking injury, but christ if they continue like this there won't even be a national league north side interested in them.

We need to get back to what we were doing, be brave and find a way to get gotts and Stevens on the ball in high advanced positions, you don't do that smashing aimless balls from the keeper to a weak forward from 65 yards away. We need to also start pressing high, sitting in just invites teams on to us and most sides in league 2 crack when you try that for 90 minutes, press high and from the front, win it high get at teams.

It's a simple game where 1 goal usually equates to 1 point in the league, so our lack of goals in the last 3 games should be enough for cooper to realise this tightening up lark just isn't work nor will it generate anywhere near enough to see us safe over the season.

Press the reset button then clear the deadwood in January, it's a transition season yes, but it doesn't have to be as poor as it was today or last Saturday.

[Middleton Nick]

An unacceptable performance and the worst I have seen in quite a while. This was even worse than last week. Come Tuesday I will have to down a few pints pre match. Can we pull off a shock ?

[CH BAFC]

Listening to Cooper, sounds like he is fed up with sub par performances, can see alot of the squad being shipped out come January..... until then I see it as steadying the ship. Cooper will sort us, he's just working with all he has right now and trying to find that balance, can tell he genuinely wants us to do well and isn't prepared to call certain players out for their lack of effort and mistakes, the type of manager we need to keep hold of as he will get us up there come January.