Barrow 1
Harriers 0

HARRIERS were yet again left counting the cost of their luckless run in front of goal as they fell to a narrow defeat at the hands of relegation battlers Barrow on Thursday.

They often say that when you're in a bad run things go against you, and Harriers will certainly have been aware they aren’t in fortune’s favour at the moment as they once again failed to register whilst also conceding on the cheap.

No doubt not helped by an arduous coach journey up from the Midlands, the away side were leggy in the initial stages at Holker Street and were made to pay by the home side, desperate for an early breakthrough to get their own league campaign back on track.

Andy Bond’s fourth-minute free-kick some 18 yards out for the FA Trophy Finalists caused a Harriers sid captained by Martin Riley all sorts of problems.

Failing to clear, they were stunned as Phil Bolland’s half-volley rolled passed them all and, with help of a deflection, past the despairing Jasbir Singh and into the back of the net.

Almost out of relief at their dream start, the Cumbrian strugglers then seemed to take their foot off the gas, making the cardinal mistake of inviting Harriers on to them.

Previously hardly in the game, the visitors did not need asking twice to test Tim Deasy between the sticks and they could well have found themselves level before the break with a host of chances.

Lloyd Kerry saw one effort spin just off target and another well stopped by Deasy, while midfielder Dean Bennett left the woodwork rattling with a drive from 20 yards.

Marc Goodfellow, featuring against his former side having played for Barrow on loan from Burton earlier this season, began to cause them real problems around the hour mark, particularly with two ambitious efforts from around 20 yards – the first being blocked by some committed home defending, the later flying just past the upright with the experienced Deasy well beaten.

Substitute James Lawrie almost had some persistence rewarded with a little over 20 minutes to go. Chasing down Deasy who had been dwelling on the ball, the Port Vale front man put the frighteners on the stopper by blocking his clearance and firing an effort goalwards that the custodian fortunately managed to gather.

A raft of substitutions saw the game start to peter out but there was a further blow to Harriers’ injury list.

With Chris McPhee, Brian Smikle and John Finnigan all already out injured for this game, the last sight they wanted to see was that of sub McDermott being withdrawn on a stretcher after a stinging tackle from Barrow’s Edwards.

The 40 Harriers fans almost had their loyal support awarded in the 95th minute as Lawrie forced home Robbie Matthews’ cut-back, only for the match official to chalk the goal off having spotted an infringement in the build-up.

HARRIERS: Singh 6, Bignot 6, Riley 7, Prosser 6, Baker 7, Kerry 7, Bennett 6 (McDermott 62 6), (Sharpe 88)., BYRNE 7, Goodfellow 6, Matthews 6, Knights 6 (Lawrie 57 6) Subs Not Used: Atkins, Courtney.

Barrow: Deasy, Spender, Jones, Bolland, Jelleyman, Wiles (Logan 64), Hulbert, Bond, Edwards, Walker, Chadwick (Blundell 80). Subs Not Used: Tomlinson, Boyd, Pearson. Attendance: 1,253 (40) Referee: Andy Halliday (North Yorkshire).