Lancaster City 2 - 1 Barrow

2009-07-14 - frnd
Attendance: 211
Scorers: Dixon

Other subs were:

Phil Morris, Richie Dougherty, Mike Pearson and Shaun Pearson (gk).

Report from the North Western Evening Mail
http://www.nwemail.co.uk/afc/news/dixon_screamer_the_highlight_as_afc_are_beaten_at_lancaster_1_582713?referrerPath=news/millom
Bluebirds go down 2-1 in pre-season friendly at Giant Axe


BIG NAME TRIALLIST: Former Liverpool player Richie Partridge, who played three first team games for the Anfield giants, started in an attacking role for Barrow AFC in their pre-season defeat at Lancaster City last night Pres-season friendly result: Lancaster City 2 Barrow AFC 1

A LATE 35-yard wondergoal from triallist Paul Dixon couldn’t rescue Barrow as they were beaten at lower league Lancaster City last night.

The Bluebirds were 2-0 in arrears when Bolton-born substitute Dixon – a youth graduate at Port Vale who last month rejected a one-year contract offer from the League Two club – struck seven minutes from time.

The central midfielder neatly controlled the ball before letting fly with a ferocious half-volley which flew over the Lancaster goalkeeper and into the top corner.

It was Barrow’s best moment during a game in which they were second best for the most part.

With Darren Sheridan away celebrating his wedding anniversary, fellow joint-manager Dave Bayliss – a former Lancaster player – was in sole charge for the trip to the Giant Axe.

Bayliss put out a much stronger starting XI than the one that lined-up against Furness Select on Friday. The biggest surprise on the team sheet was the name of former Liverpool midfielder Richie Partridge.

Now aged 28, Dublin-born Partridge – who played in three first team games for the Premier League giants during a five-year stay at Anfield which ended in 2005 – was released by Chester City recently.

Partridge lined up on the left of a three-man attack which included experienced ex-Blackpool targetman John Murphy and the right-sided Paul Rutherford, another player most recently with Chester City.

Behind them was a three-man midfield of Andy Bond, Mark Boyd and summer recruit Robin Hulbert.

The back four included triallist Paul Dugdale at centre-half alongside AFC skipper Paul Jones. With the club still awaiting the final FA nod on their new left-back – widely-rumoured to be ex-Droylsden man Sean Newton – Carlos Logan again dropped into that position, with Simon Spender at right-back and Tim Deasy between the sticks.

The home side – who now play their football three tiers below AFC in UniBond Division One North – started the stronger and almost took the lead on five minutes when ex-Bluebird Mike Rushton’s header hit the foot of the post.

Barrow continued to defend sloppily and were punished on 23 minutes when an under-hit backpass from Jones put Deasy in trouble. The AFC number one came out of his box to meet the ball, but no sooner was it at his feet than the lively Jordan Connerton had nicked it off him and stroked it into the empty net.

The visitors looked to respond, with long range shots from ex-Lancaster man Bond and then Hulbert forcing keeper Neil Beesley into action.

Barrow, however, looked short of creativity going forward and all too often played the ball long for Murphy. When they did have it in midfield the Bluebirds played some nice football, but struggled to unlock the home defence.

Their best attacking moves came down the right, where advancing full-back Spender and the skillful Rutherford combined to good effect.

Lancaster almost doubled their lead on 37 minutes when a 20-yard effort from Roger Sharrock sailed just past the top corner and hit the stanchion behind the goal.

Bayliss made one change at half-time, bringing on striker Jason Walker for Mark Boyd, who picked up a knock in the first half, and switching to a 4-4-2 formation.

Within 20 minutes of the second half starting Barrow had made a further eight substitutions. The hosts, meanwhile, made seven changes during the interval and as a result lost much of their attacking impetus.

The Bluebirds improved and Walker almost equalised on 66 minutes when heading narrowly over following excellent work down the right from Askam United amateur Richard Doughty.

Just five minutes later Walker limped off after sliding in for the ball with the Lancaster keeper – both players going in feet-first – and bruising his shin. He was replaced by Dugdale, who had himself earlier been substituted.

Barrow made one further change on 71 minutes when defender Mike Pearson made a welcome return to action, over six months after breaking his leg in the FA Cup tie at Middlesbrough.

Pearson received a warm round of applause from the small band of travelling AFC fans as he made his comeback, slotting in at right-back in place of Spender.

Chances were few-and-far-between in the second half, but when Chris Ward broke clear down the right channel and squared for Adam Farrell he made no mistake from 12 yards, slotting the ball past AFC substitute keeper Shaun Pearson and into the bottom corner.

Dixon’s stunning strike pulled one back for Barrow, but Lancaster were not to be denied and they saw out the remaining minutes to earn a deserved 2-1 victory.

Barrow: Tim Deasy, Simon Spender, Carlos Logan, Paul Jones, Adam Dugdale, Paul Rutherford, Robin Hulbert, Mark Boyd, Andy Bond, Richie Partridge, John Murphy. Subs (all used): Half-time: Jason Walker. After 60 mins: Phil Bolland, Paul Dixon, Phil Morris, Jack Brierley, Jamie McClen. After 65 mins: Shaun Pearson (keeper), Martin Grundy, Richard Doughty. After 71 mins: Mike Pearson.