Barrow running on empty as Jon Flatt prevents embarrassing scoreline

[Barrow Lad]

Barrow: Flatt, Beeley, Anderton, Livesey, Diarra, Harvey, Rowe, Wright, Bennett, Harrison, Williams
65: Haworth replaced Rowe, Hannah replaced Bennett
80: Meikle replaced Williams

Booked: Williams (45+4, foul on Nolan)

Southport: Norman, Ashton, Nolan, Thompson, Brewster, Hynes, Jones, McKenna, McKeown, Cundy, Higgins
80: Wright replaced Brewster

GOAL: McKenna (14)

It was very disappointing, but probably as well only 956 bothered to turn up to see Barrow struggle against 19th placed Southport. The 0-1 loss actually flattered the Bluebirds whose disjointed out-of-sorts performance contrasted with some very effective attacking moves and solid defending from the Sandgrounders. Barrow’s Man of the Match was deservedly goalie Jon Flatt whose saves prevented a potentially embarrassing scoreline.

Our first 7th minute corner was ineffective, resulting in a Williams shot sailing over the bar. In the 14th minute, another Barrow attacking move saw Ben McKenna pick up the ball, sprint the length of the field down the right and fire past Jon Flatt into the left corner for what proved to be the winning goal.

Barrow’s best moment of the game came in the 20th minute when Moussa Diarra picked up an Akil Wright cross into the box. His superb overhead kick crashed against the bar. A Wright shot from outside the area was saved as it looked like Barrow might gain the initiative.

However, Southport, spurred on by their goal, pressed on and Flatt saved from a 29th minute corner. A minute later a McKenna shot was deflected for another corner, Flatt saving another shot, this time from Ryan Higgins.

Beeley was then fouled, but Jordan Williams’ 25 yard free kick went over the bar. Another foul on Beeley by Rory McKeown in the 40th minute saw both players receive treatment although the referee saw it as a 50:50 challenge.

In the second minute of added time a ball in by Andrai Jones brought forced an excellent close range Flatt block from Delial Brewster.

A minute later, Barrow came agonisingly close as a Harrison cross could not be poked over the line from feet away. Williams was then booked for a foul on Liam Nolan as the half came to a frustrating close.

The faithful few hoped that a team talk or changes might improve things for the second half but within two minutes, Flatt was forced to punch away a Nolan shot, following a McKenna cross from the right.

Barrow also became frustrated by a serious of referring decisions and, in the 53rd minute, a foul by Nolan on Bennett went unpunished. Bennett then took things into his own hands and fouled Nolan but also escaped a booking.

Three minutes later, Southport gained a disputed free kick on the half way line, Ashton launching the ball into the area and forcing yet another save by Flatt, this time from Jones.

In the 64th minute, Livesey was fouled in the area but again appeals were in vain. With 25 minutes of normal time remaining, Haworth and Hannah replaced Rowe and Bennett, Hannah firing wide from 20 yards five minutes later.

A dangerous Brewster cross was then blocked by Anderton as Barrow were forced to spend time defending rather than going for goal.

Lindon Meikle then replaced Williams as Southport brought on Jake Wright for Brewster. However, only Southport continued to produce goal threats. In the 90th minute the Sandgrounders were in full flow again as Higgins on the right crossed to McKeown on the left who centred the ball for a Hynes shot which was blocked. To cap things off, Flatt was then called into action to prevent a Barrow own goal!

A night for Barrow fans to forget- and for Southport fans to savour. Let’s hope it’s a wake-up call for the important home fixtures coming up and we regain our form to climb into the play-offs rather than begin a descent to mid-table mediocrity.

[Keith Nichols]

Great post Barrow Lad.

[MatlockTownFCFTW]

He won't be able to prevent the embarrassment on Saturday at the hands of the mighty Matlock

[B757]

You are not doing Matlock any favours, in fact you remind me of JMG's Twitter impersonator from Buxton.

Save the bragging till 5pm on Saturday evening after Ted has scored the winner