VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE HALF-TIME

BARROW AFC 2 (Cook 42, 77) WREXHAM 0

ANDY Cook, the star man for the whole campaign, a striker in demand, a player Barrow AFC are desperate to keep.

How fitting it should be that it was he who shone so brightly as the curtain came down on the National League season at Holker Street.

Cook scored goals number 24 and 25 for the year as the Bluebirds flew into the summer sunshine with a display made up of all the positives – an attacking cutting edge, defensive strength and pure guts and determination – that have made up the second half of the campaign.

A top-half finish earned with the three points picked up against the Welshmen seemed a world away even in February, as manager Paul Cox strived to rebuild the squad and find a winning formula.

But since the loss to champions Cheltenham, only one other side have lowered the Barrow colours – Eastleigh at the start of April – as AFC have flown to seven wins and six draws in their final 14 matches.

Wrexham, a side with serious play-off ambitions, one of the big guns in the division finished the season just four points and three places above them – it has been a year of positives.

The match was a dead rubber, but neither side showed as much in an intense encounter, which occasionally threatened to boil over.

The same was true on the terraces, where sadly the police and stewards had to escort two spectators from the ground after some of them had entered neutral zone between the groups.

This small, but very visible minority, put a momentary shadow on proceedings, though after officials dealt with matters, the situation calmed and was thankfully put to the back of the mind in place of the entertainment on the field.

Blaine Hudson headed a Paddy Lacey cross away before Simon Grand could connect early on and Javan Vidal drove down the right and fired just wide of the near post.

Cook had his first chance on 11 minutes as he twisted and turned inside the area and fired across the face of goal, forcing a save from Rhys Taylor. The visitors should have taken the lead when Rob Evans played Connor Jennings through one-on-one with Joel Dixon. The Wrexham skipper reached the edge of the area and Dixon came out to meet him, but the striker slid it past him – and past the post.

Andy Parry – in an impressive display as a stand-in centre-half – made an important clearance from near the line as Sean Newton – a previous Barrow target – put in a dangerous cross.

Dixon tipped a Jennings header over in spectacular style, not knowing the striker was offside, before Simon Heslop slid in to dispossess Jordan Williams as he made a strong run to the edge of the area.

It was end-to-end stuff, both sides pushing for the opener, and Ben Tomlinson glanced a header at Taylor before Andy Haworth fired over from 25 yards.

After Cook almost connected with a long Williams throw-in in the area, he made no mistake as Tomlinson pulled the ball back to him 12 yards out and the hotshot smashed low and down the centre of the goal.

AFC pushed hard for a second after the break, with Haworth hitting a free-kick just wide of the near post and Cook seeing a header hit the back of a Wrexham defender, who had no idea he had prevented a goal as the ball went behind.

Haworth swung the corner in and Taylor had to be alert to tip it away as it threatened to sneak in at the near post.

Dixon was likewise aware of the danger as he ran to the edge of his area and took the ball before substitute striker Wes York could reach an angled pass through.

Cook went close to his second as Tomlinson headed the ball to his feet, but for all his manoeuvring, he could only fire at the legs of Taylor.

Wrexham produced a clever corner routine at the other end, with Lee Fowler playing for the long run of Mark Carrington, who took the ball 18 yards out but only looped an effort into Dicon’s hands.

Jason Walker – on as a second-half substitute – forced Taylor to punch away a free-kick from the left before Cook made it two.

A long throw-in from Williams – the result of Walker’s cleared set-piece – came to the near post, where Grand flicked on. Behind him was Cook, who needed no second invitation barely two yards out and pushed the ball over the line.

Wrexham looked for a way back into the game, but instead Williams – impressive yet again in a wide attacking role – made a cutting run down the left and his cross saw Walker have a shot blocked. Williams took the rebound, but blazed over.

Tomlinson was presented with a similar chance to that which Jennings had in the first half as Walker played him through. He took the ball round Taylor, but his touch was a little heavy and by the time he had composed himself for a shot, Carrington was back to block the effort and avert danger.

Williams saw a late effort fly wide before Alex-Ray Harvey and Adriano Moke both saw yellow after a late fracas which saw players from both sides pile in.

It was a frenetic finish to a season which has seen Barrow improve immeasurably. Things have got so much better in recent months, you have to hope it will be the same story ahead.

Barrow AFC (4-4-2): Joel Dixon, Paddy Lacey, Nick Wilmer-Anderton, Simon Grand, Andy Parry, Brad Abbott, Alex-Ray Harvey, Andy Haworth (Jason Walker 66), Ben Tomlinson, Andy Cook, Jordan Williams.

Substitutes Not Used: Dan Pilkington, Mo Fofana, Ashley Grimes, Brad Carroll.

Yellow Cards: Tomlinson (84), Harvey (90).

Wrexham (4-4-2): Rhys Taylor, Mark Carrington, Jamal Fyfield, Manny Smith, Blaine Hudson (Wes York 59), Rob Evans, Simon Heslop (Adriano Moke 69), Javan Vidal (Kayden Jackson 59), Sean Newton, Lee Fowler, Connor Jennings.

Substitutes Not Used: James Gray, Ross White.

Yellow Cards: Moko (90).

Referee: Steven Rushton (Stafford).

Attendance: 1,728.