BARROW 3 - 1 Mansfield Town

2009-09-29 - BSP
Attendance: 1040
Scorers: Walker (2) Kamara

Barrow: Tomlinson, Spender, Jelleyman, Jones, Pearson, Kamara, Hulbert, Bond, Walker, Shaw, Wainwright

77: Rogan replaced Walker
84: Rutherford replaced Kamara
88: Logan replaced Wainwright

GOALS: Walker (7,50); Kamara (67)

Booked: Spender (90+4, foul on Williams)

Mansfield Town: Marriott, Armstrong, Graham, Garner, Silk, Nix, Somner, Briscoe, Williams, Speight, Duffy

26: Perry replaced Duffy
55: Sturrock replaced Briscoe
87: Istead replaced Graham

GOAL: Nix (11)

Booked: Graham (25, handball), Garner (41, foul on Walker)

On a drizzly evening, a crowd of 1,040 witnessed the finest Barrow performance this season and a doubling of the home goal tally in one match. Those who stayed away missed a treat; those who came shouted even louder to spur Barrow on to a memorable 3-1 victory, in which we outclassed Mansfield for long periods of the game.

Our goals were top drawer, all spectacular efforts from open play; hopefully this will restore the team’s confidence and we will start looking up the table rather than down.

Mansfield kicked off towards the cross bar end. From the start Barrow went for every ball, concentration being largely excellent throughout. Although we conceded the first corner to thwart a dangerous Williams cross in the 4th minute, within three minutes we had taken the lead. After a good Barrow build up, Kamara crossed to Walker whose power shot from the edge of the penalty area gave Marriott no chance. 6 minutes 35 seconds and 1-0!

Mansfield immediately countered and we conceded a free kick in a dangerous position from 18 yards. Just over 4 minutes after Barrow’s opener, Nix hammered the free kick into the top left corner of the net for the equalizer.

Impressively, Barrow continued on the attack and good work by Bond plus a flick-on by walker found Shaw who shot just over the bar in the 18th minute. Home debutant Kamara shot just wide in the 32nd minute.

When Mansfield attacked we defended every ball. In the 36th minute a Williams cross was punched out by Tomlinson and then cleared by Pearson for a corner which the Barrow goalie also punched away.

In the 39th minute at the other end, an impressive build up by Shaw and Walker resulted in a shot by Bond, bringing a good save from Marriott. Two minutes later Walker was tripped by Garner when he was through on goal, the referee deciding the challenge only merited a yellow card. Walker’s free kick went just wide. Another two minutes on and Bond had a good shot saved. Barrow continued to see out the first half on top as Spender fired just over the bar from 20 yards on 45 minutes.

The question was- could Barrow continue their superb efforts for another 45 minutes. They could- and more! Pearson, drilled the ball forward from the kick off and debutant Wainwright fired a low shot just past the left hand post. Only 20 seconds gone and Barrow were already causing Mansfield problems.

Just under 5 minutes into the half, Jason Walker unleashed one of his wonder strikes. From fully 30 yards on the right wing, the half-volley thundered past Marriott into the top of the goal for 2-1.

Barrow conceded another dangerous free kick in the 53rd minute but this time Nix’s effort went just past the top left corner of the goal. Three minutes later following a Mansfield corner, Tomlinson made a good stop from Silk.

Solid defensive work gave Barrow the confidence from more attacks. Bond drilled a low shot straight at Marriott in the 64th minute. Three minutes later following a Kamara throw, the ball came back to the Sierra Leone international who shot from the edge of the penalty area for 3-1. Another excellent goal!

Mansfield mounted further attacks but their efforts became more and more ragged, Barrow now being in the ascendancy. Armstrong fired past Tomlinson’s right hand post in the 69th minute.

In the 77th minute, Walker went off to an ovation, being replaced by Rogan. A minute later, Speight hit the post from just inside the penalty area, this being Mansfield’s nearest effort of the half.

In the 80th minute, Barrow nearly got a fourth when a long range chip by Kamara was tipped over the bar by Marriott for a corner. Four minutes later, he went off to another ovation, being replaced by Rutherford.

Mansfield threw everything at Barrow in the final three or four minutes of extra time but all free kicks and corners were all well cleared. We were worthy winners. It was a magnificent performance, Jason Walker being awarded Man of the Match for two cracking goals. However, the whole team were superb and made Mansfield look ordinary. If we play like this on Saturday, Oxford will have a real game on their hands.

Leaving work tonight, I said I fancied Barrow to “do a Wigan” tonight after their 3-1 win against Chelsea last Saturday. They did- with the same scoreline. Barrow may still be in 17th place- but it's a much healthier 17th place!