BARROW 1 - 1 Forest Green Rovers

2009-09-19 - BSP
Attendance: 1065
Scorers: Shaw

Barrow: Deasy, Spender, Pearson, Bolland, Dugdale, Bond, Hulbert, Boyd, Rogan, Shaw, Logan

Half-time: Rutherford replaced Hulbert

Booked: Shaw (wrong call for handling, 13)

GOAL: Shaw (67)

Forest Green Rovers: Wilkinson, Preece, Stonehouse, Brown, Platt, Smith, Davies, Rigg, Spence, Imudia, Thorne

69: Curran replaced Rigg
80: Lloyd replaced Platt

Booked: Imudia (foul on Logan, 8); Thorne (dissent after Stonehouse foul on Rogan, 81)

GOAL: Rigg (63)

A crowd of 1,065 saw a frustrating game with Barrow struggling again to find the net, handing Forest Green the initative and then clawing back a draw.

Forest Green kicked off towards the Crossbar end but Barrow started brightest. In the 4th minute, Boyd was fouled for a free kick which Thorne headed clear for a corner. A minute later, Logan was tripped by Imudia for another Boyd free kick on the edge of the penalty area, saved by Wilkinson.

Smith for the visitors then tried a long shot which Deasy easily saved and in the 8th minute, Logan was again tripped by Imudia who this time was booked.

In the 13th minute Forest Green goalie Wilkinson’s kick smacked into Shaw’s head, the ball spinning sideways towards the touchline. However, the referee booked the Barrow forward, thinking he had handled.

In the 22nd minute a low strike by Logan was saved; from Wilkinson’s kick, ex-Barrow player David Brown played the ball forward to Smith who shot over Deasy’s bar.

Five minutes later Rogan headed on to Shaw who struck past the left-hand post with only the keeper to beat.

In the 35th minute, Thorne felled Rogan , Logan’s 20 yard free kick being fumbled by Wilkinson and out for a corner. However, Barrow’s fourth corner again came to nothing and frustration started to set in.

Forest Green took the initiative and finished the first half strongest. In the 39th minute a Sean Rigg 15 yard shot was saved by Deasy. In the second minute of extra time, a through ball by David Brown fell to Sean Rigg, Deasy making a critical save at his feet. A minute later a Platt corner for the visitors was punched clear by Deasy after a goalmouth scramble.

Half-time and an unconvincing Barrow performance had given the visitors a sniff of victory which had seemed unlikely after the first 20 minutes. Rutherford replaced Hulbert at the break and two minutes in a Boyd pass gave Rogan a shot across goal.

However, Forest Green soon continued their pressure, Deasy first giving away a corner then another David Brown through ball giving Davies a shot in front of goal. Fortunately, Deasy was well positioned to save.

From a Barrow corner in the 52nd minute, Dugdale headed just wide. The game then drifted into a midfield tussle- a goal was sorely needed to liven up proceedings but unfortunately Forest Green found the net first. A 63rd minute Davies cross fell to Sean Rigg who scored from the rebound after a great block from Deasy. A happier visit to Holker Street than three years ago when Cotterill’s punch in the Bristol Rovers FA Cup match had left the striker with a broken jaw.

It was now “do or die” for Barrow who came up with the best possible reply four minutes later. Rutherford headed the ball onto Shaw who confidently drilled the ball past Wilkinson into the net for a worthy equaliser.

The game now opened up with both sides having half chances, but finishing being equally woeful. A Spence assist gave substitute Curran a shot on goal in the 75th minute but his weak shot was easily saved by Deasy. In the 80th minute a Bond shot went past the post and five minutes later a chance in front of goal went even further wide, Barrow’s No.7 pulling his shirt over his face.

Despite further Barrow corners, the elusive winner never came; we really must work on set pieces! In the 89th minute a Logan side shot was blocked well by Wilkinson and in first minute of injury time, a 20 yard shot by Bond went just over the bar.

Barrow remain in 17th place, the consolation being that the teams below us are not finding the net either! Three goals in six home matches is cause for concern and it is to be hoped that this problem can be resolved as soon as possible. A good response immediately following the Forest Green goal but we really should have killed the game off in the first 20 minutes. Spender was awarded Man of the Match.