Last updated at 11:20, Monday, 24 September 2012

Blue Square Bet Premier: Ebbsfleet United 2 Barrow AFC 4

Goals: Ebbsfleet: Tom Phipp (46), Nathan Elder (49). Barrow: Richie Baker (20, 36 pen, 63), Paul Rutherford (25). 

MIDFIELDER Richie Baker bagged a superb hat-trick as 10-man Barrow AFC won 4-2 at Ebbsfleet United to claim a second victory of the season.

Ebbsfleet started the brighter in the Kent sunshine but it was Barrow who took the lead on 20 minutes when Adam Boyes stole the ball and set up Richie Baker, who smashed it high into the net from 14 yards out.

The Bluebirds doubled their lead just five minutes later when a shot from winger Paul Rutherford deflected in off the head of home defender Phil Walsh.

Baker then made it 3-0 from the penalty spot with a cool finish on 36 minutes, after the midfielder had been fouled inside the box just moments earlier.

The Bluebirds, however, hit the self-destruct button in the first four minutes of the second half a shot from Tom Phipp followed by a header straight from a corner by Nathan Elder pulled Ebbsfleet back to within one goal.

Things got even worse for the visitors on 57 minutes when left-back Sean Hessey was shown a straight red card for (what was later confirmed as by Ash Hoskin) putting a hand in the face of team-mate James Owen.

Ebbsfleet ramped up the pressure but it was Barrow who scored next when on 63 minutes Baker curled a stunning 20-yard free-kick in off the underside of the bar to complete his hat-trick.

Bluebirds boss Dave Bayliss made four changes to the side that lost 3-0 at home to Newport County last weekend, with captain Gavin Skelton amongst those to drop to the bench. He was replaced at left-back by Sean Hessey, while Mike Pearson switched to centre-half and took over the skipper's armband. Matt Flynn made his competitive AFC debut at right-back after recovering from a fractured cheekbone sustained in pre-season.

James Owen came into a three-man midfield, while Sean McConville made his first start, in a front three alongside Rutherford and central striker Adam Boyes.

Skelton, Danny Rowe and Joe Jackson dropped to the bench. Number-two goalkeeper Shaun Pearson, who had a knee operation on Wednesday, on-loan centre-half Tom Anderson, who suffered concussion last weekend, and midfielder Alex-Ray Harvey, who is still on the road to recovery after knee surgery, didn't make the trip to Kent, leaving Bayliss only able to name substitutes.

Ebbsfleet United (4-4-2): Preston Edwards; Craig Stone, Joe Howe, Paul Lorraine (captain), Phil Walsh; Neil Barrett, Ram Marwa, Ben Greenhalgh (Liam Enver-Marum 71), Tom Phipp; Nathan Elder, Moses Ashikodi. Subs not used: Lucas Menz, Liam Bellamy, Adam Williams, Sam Akinde.

Barrow AFC (4-3-3): Danny Hurst; Matt Flynn, Sean Hessey, Mike Pearson (captain), Tom Aldred; James Owen, Garry Hunter, Richie Baker; Paul Rutherford, Sean McConville (Gavin Skelton 60), Adam Boyes (Joe Jackson 90+2). Subs not used: Danny Rowe, Chris Moore.

Yellow cards: Barrow: Hurst (61), Hessey (54).

Red card: Barrow: Hessey (57).

Referee: Paul Rees.

Attendance: 780.

Updates here and on Twitter (follow @leeprocterNWEM)

All Ebbsfleet United v Barrow AFC pre-match strories can be read at http://www.nwemail.co.uk/afc

See Monday's Evening Mail for full report, photos and post-match reaction (including interview with hat-trick hero Baker)

First published at 13:26, Saturday, 22 September 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk