Barrow v Gillingham match thread

[HenneysKnee]

We’ve had worst teams in the past but they at least showed some battle, put their bodies on the line etc; those lot are just a bunch of absolute fannies and the drop now seems inevitable

[Barrow afc 2018]

We go again next Friday.

[WillBAFC]

We go again next Friday.

Absolutely not. We are down.

[Barrow Lad New]

Another toothless performance today, with only 3 goals scored and 3 points (ONE win) in our last 8 league matches at Holker Street! Over the whole season we have only amassed 12 out of a possible 48 points at home with only three wins in 16 games here all season.

Damning statistics but hardly surprising as we seemed frightened to go forward and, when we do, lose possession too easily. This came back to haunt us today in another evenly balanced game where we finally capitulated yet again after riding the fine margins of sitting too deep and inviting pressure.

Devastatingly, this time the killer goal came from a corner 15 seconds AFTER the 12 minutes of added time for a serious injury to Jovan Malcolm in the 62nd minute. He was treated for ten minutes and stretchered off but the challenge by Coleman, who had only been on the pitch for 5 minutes, did not result in even a free kick, let alone the red card it deserved. Mahoney came on to replace Malcolm but significantly Gillingham were in the ascendancy from this point, benefiting from our misfortune.

This is on top of last week’s debacle at Fleetwood, where we threw away a 2 goal lead to again lose all three points in the final minute of added time.

Where do we go from here ? Clearly there is a confidence issue in the team especially playing in front of home fans. We have been unlucky with injuries and refereeing decisions but there must also be question marks over team formation and strategy. We seem to repeat the same errors week-after-week despite insistence that we will learn from them!

Gillingham showed they meant business early on, Clarke shooting over the bar from the left within two minutes. At the other end ten minutes in, Joe Anderson shot wide of the right post from the edge of the area.

The few remaining half chances of the half fell to the visitors. On the half hour, Stanway had to punch away a cross for a throw-in. In the same attack, Antwi went down injured and had to be replaced by Williams. Stanway then collected a tame low shot from Hale following a corner. In the 36th minute, a shot from McKenzie after a fast break went wide. In the 44th minute, Stanway saved a cross from Hutton.

We did manage a late rally in the 4th minute of time added after Harper was brought down near the halfway line by Little. McCann’s free kick brought a good cross from Barkhuizen which was cleared, and then a shot from Harper which was blocked.

No shots on target from us, a malaise which was set to continue in the second half. Again, Gillingham started the brightest and, only two minutes in, McKenzie fired a cross from the right which was kept in by Hale who hit the left post from a narrow angle.

Turner dealt easily with a cross from Malcolm in the 54th minute. Two minutes later, Gillingham’s Little went down injured and had to be replaced by Coleman. On the hour a good cross from Malcolm led to a blocked shot from McCann, Gordon then unable to get past Turner from close range.

In the 62nd minute, Malcolm was badly fouled by Coleman, a fact apparent lost on the officials as there was no red card (replays showed it deserved one)- or even a booking or free kick! Malcolm was treated for 10 minutes and applauded as he was stretchered off to be replaced by Mahoney.

Walker replaced Rose in the 85th minute but we were still struggling to make inroads. Both teams won a succession of corners which were easily cleared until McCann hit the bar in the 90th minute, our nearest attempt.

Also, in the 90th minute, Gillingham made their first changes of the game, Vokes, Cirino and Rowe coming on for Palmer-Houlden, Clark and Hutton. Twelve minutes of added time were announced as the substitutions were made.

In the third minute of added time, we replaced Gordon (who was awarded our man of the match) with Fletcher. Two minutes later, Walker was felled on the break by Gale, as we tried to get the winning goal. However, McCann’s free kick was cleared.

If we couldn’t get the winning goal, Gillingham sensed they could as we were under pressure for the last five minutes. Beckles shot wide, then Stanway saved from Vokes. With the 12 minutes of added time up, Gillingham won a right-hand corner taken by Cirino. Williams crossed to McKenzie who slotted home from close range to devastate the Barrow players and fans.

Attendance was 2,331 including an impressive 237 from Gillingham.

[bluessupporter]

Feel sorry for the owners they have spent a lot of money but made a lot of mistakes.

I don't think that's being fair to men who have kept this club afloat to the tune of around £2M.

We might have had a decent season if we hadn't got rid of Wild.

Whose fault is it that he went?

[saltcellar]

On the last day of January I wrote :-

We will know better about our situation after the 6 February games.
If we haven't increased the gap between ourselves from Newport and Harrogate, it will be a real worrying time.

Well it has turned out to be a dreadful month for us.

Harrogate results in February were :-
Swindon Home 0-1
Cambridge Home 2-1
Chesterfield Away 1-1
Barrow Away 1-0
Bromley Home 0-0
Cheltenham Home 1-1

Won 2 Drawn 3 Lost 1 Points 9

Newport results in February were ;-
Grimsby Home 0-0
Swindon Away 0-2
MK Dons Away 0-1
Salford Away 3-1
Cambridge Home 0-2
Fleetwood Away 0-0

Won 1 Drawn 2 Lost 3 Points 5

Barrow's results in February were :-
Notts County Away 1-2
Shrewsbury Away 1-2
Colchester Home 1-0
Harrogate Home 0-1
Fleetwood Away 2-3
Gillingham Home 0-1

Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 5 Points 3
We are still just outside the bottom 2 on goal difference, but have certainly missed the opportunity to have been in a much safer position.

[blue nige]

Just watched the goal ,the corner they got came from Stanways save ironically it was going wide !, to be fair when it's headed clear they get a lucky deflection that goes to their player who buries it !

[toko]

Spineless, bottleless cunts.
They should be ashamed.
When I seen the first interview with Dino I was really up for going for a pint with him as I bet he’s got some incredible shagging stories. Now I don’t want a pint with him as he would be all doom and gloom about the soccer.

[toko]

Just watched the goal ,the corner they got came from Stanways save ironically it was going wide !, to be fair when it's headed clear they get a lucky deflection that goes to their player who buries it !

He wouldn’t have saved it if it was straight down the middle

[blue nige]

Just watched the goal ,the corner they got came from Stanways save ironically it was going wide !, to be fair when it's headed clear they get a lucky deflection that goes to their player who buries it !

He wouldn’t have saved it if it was straight down the middle

I unfortunately agree he's been all over the place since his injury!

[AugustusCorpa]

We’ve been shite all season. Don’t win at home,you’re going down. Relegation is what we deserve. Expecting the opposition late goal every single game.

[Hitthebar22]

Technically most of the players aren't good enough individually to play in this league.
As a team they look beaten from the off.
Our current manager fits "same shit, different bucket" label, and today under him they looker worse than they have all season.
It's pointless blaming anyone, as it's happened.
If we survive there definitely needs to be a significant reset.
If we don't it will be entirely understandable if the current owners have had enough and decide to pull the plug.
If that happened, look out for Holker Street housing estate.

[Cokey]

On the last day of January I wrote :-

We will know better about our situation after the 6 February games.
If we haven't increased the gap between ourselves from Newport and Harrogate, it will be a real worrying time.

Well it has turned out to be a dreadful month for us.

Harrogate results in February were :-
Swindon Home 0-1
Cambridge Home 2-1
Chesterfield Away 1-1
Barrow Away 1-0
Bromley Home 0-0
Cheltenham Home 1-1

Won 2 Drawn 3 Lost 1 Points 9

Newport results in February were ;-
Grimsby Home 0-0
Swindon Away 0-2
MK Dons Away 0-1
Salford Away 3-1
Cambridge Home 0-2
Fleetwood Away 0-0

Won 1 Drawn 2 Lost 3 Points 5

Barrow's results in February were :-
Notts County Away 1-2
Shrewsbury Away 1-2
Colchester Home 1-0
Harrogate Home 0-1
Fleetwood Away 2-3
Gillingham Home 0-1

Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 5 Points 3
We are still just outside the bottom 2 on goal difference, but have certainly missed the opportunity to have been in a much safer position.

Ahead of those games, I expected us to gain points on Harrogate and Newport and pull ahead.

We haven’t.

Absolutely disgusting. Shameful. Not good enough.

[Mark Johnson]

Tyler Walker received the ball in the penalty area with a good touch and had his back to goal.

Instead of trying to swivel and get a shot off he opted to pass it 20 yards back, outside the area, not even to a wide crossing position but directly back central and the chance was gone.. Not having a go at him as he had some good touches, but that summed up our season for me... Far too negative, not brave, nobody taking responsibility often enough

We have really missed the influence of Sam Foley on the pitch since he's been out and if we can get him fit he needs to be playing every game.

Well done and thanks to Josh Gordon for giving everything again

[Cokey]

Tyler Walker received the ball in the penalty area with a good touch and had his back to goal.

Instead of trying to swivel and get a shot off he opted to pass it 20 yards back, outside the area, not even to a wide crossing position but directly back central and the chance was gone.. Not having a go at him as he had some good touches, but that summed up our season for me... Far too negative, not brave, nobody taking responsibility often enough

We have really missed the influence of Sam Foley on the pitch since he's been out and if we can get him fit he needs to be playing every game.

Well done and thanks to Josh Gordon for giving everything again

Walker isn’t good enough. A bad signing.

Agree, we’ve massively missed Sam Foley.

Josh Gordon works hard every game. If only we had more players who did too.