Post
by Barrow Lad New » Sat Apr 23, 2022 6:17 pm
Rarely has a victory tasted so sweet or been so richly deserved by Bluebirds battling against all the odds- and it seemed that we were also playing the officials today.
The two excellent Easter results have shown a new-found confidence which continued with the team spirit required to gain- and then protect the lead with ten men, Josh Kay having received a second yellow seemingly for celebrating the goal.
On the one time our defences were breached and we gave away a penalty, Farman superbly saved to one of the loudest cheers by the crowd all season. Following a five-minute delay as racist abuse had apparently been reported, we not only survived eleven minutes of added time, the Sutton goalie coming up for free kicks and corners, but managed to go for goal ourselves with a man short.
It is these sorts of games where the players and crowd bond best, and which are remembered for the longest time. There were few efforts on goal in the entire game, Sutton playing with the strong easterly wind in the first half which we defended well. In the second half up to our goal and Kay’s dismissal, we were in full control.
After defending a couple of Sutton corners, we earned our first corner in the 20th minute. Won by Hutton (who earned Barrow’s man of the match), Rooney’s kick resulted in a header caught by Bouzanis. Kay won another corner five minutes later, which resulted in a Rooney free kick which was headed wide by Amadi-Holloway.
A minute later, Sutton’s Bugiel found himself in front of goal after a long kick by goalie Bouzanis but skied his shot over the bar. Another minute later, Kay received his first yellow for a foul on Ajiboye.
In the 40th minute, a Gotts shot was deflected past the right post for a corner. A minute later, Kay was fouled but Rooney’s free kick came to nothing.
In the second half, playing with the wind, Barrow launched effective attacks more frequently. Five minutes in a Hutton cross was deflected for a corner and, following a goalmouth scramble, most people in the crowd thought White had scored- but his effort was blocked.
Just before the hour, a close-range Kay shot went over the bar. Amadi-Holloway then went down with a strain and had to be replaced by Gordon.
In the 63rd minute, following a foul by Platt on Ajiboye, Sutton had a free kick from the edge of the area, but the effort sailed just wide of the left corner. Ajiboye was then booked for dissent.
In the 68th minute we made the breakthrough. A good move by Gotts, Gordon and Hutton found Rooney in front of goal and he blasted the ball into the net. The crowd was then stunned to see Kay receive a second yellow, presumably for over-celebrating the goal.
Down to ten men, it took sterling efforts by the whole team to keep Sutton out for what would prove to be another half-hour of football. Randall replaced Boldewijn for Sutton in the 73rd minute and the crowd were further incensed when a blatant push by Kizzi off the ball went unpenalised.
Two minutes later a push by Brown on Bugiel in the area was panlised with a spot kick by Milsom. Justice was restored when Farman superbly dived to his left to save the penalty.
Grayson then came on for White as we earned a corner despite our one-man advantage and Sutton throwing the kitchen sink at us. In the 84th minute we even came close to adding a second goal as a scorching shot from the left by Josh Gordon hit the bar.
Richie Bennett than came on for Davis and Sutton’s goalie came up for free kicks and corners. The 3,019 crowd (all but 91 Barrow fans) cheered the Bluebirds on to the final whistle. As normal time came towards a close, the game was stopped for five minutes when racist abuse was reported, and eleven minutes added time was played.
The lengthy ovation at the end for the celebrating Barrow players will live long in the memory.
Last edited by
Barrow Lad New on Sat Apr 23, 2022 6:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
could have cost us big time!
