VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE

TORQUAY UNITED 2 (Richards 61, Blissett 81) BARROW AFC 2 (Tomlinson 34, Cook 90)

ANDY Cook’s 22nd goal of the season earned Barrow a share of the spoils in their final away fixture of the campaign at Torquay United, writes STEVE HARRIS.

Ben Tomlinson had given the Bluebirds the lead in the first half before second-half efforts from Courtney Richards and Nathan Blissett helped the Gulls edge in front.

Cook managed to find the target for Barrow, deep into injury time, to claim a share of the spoils in manager Paul Cox’s return to the club he managed for the opening 10 games of the campaign.

Cox made one change to the side that drew with Kidderminster Harriers last week, as Steve Williams lined up in the centre of defence in place of Danny Livesey, who sustained a torn hamstring against the Harriers.

Both sides went into the game playing purely for pride, as the Gulls had retained their National League status with a 2-0 win over Bromley in their last fixture.

The Bluebirds started the stronger of the two teams, as Andy Haworth had a shot from distance parried away by Torquay’s American keeper Brendan Moore on six minutes.

Howarth then threatened again for Barrow in the 13th minute with a free-kick which Moore tipped behind for a corner.

This was the first in a succession of corners for the Bluebirds, but they were unable to take full advantage.

On 26 minutes, Barrow keeper Joel Dixon was caught in no-man’s land after he rushed off his line to make a clearance, which he fired straight into the path of Torquay striker Shaun Harrad.

However, Dixon breathed a huge sigh of relief as the former Burton frontman narrowly missed the target as his shot agonisingly hit the post from 35 yards.

In the 33rd minute, Jordan Williams made a bursting run down the left wing before picking out Ben Tomlinson with a low cross, but his shot was blocked.

A minute later, the Bluebirds were in front when Moore’s clearance hit Exodus Geoghaghon and landed in the path of Tomlinson, who beat the American with a left footed strike from distance.

Torquay went close to finding an equaliser on 39 minutes when Harrad turned a free-kick from Butler wide.

On the stroke of half-time, Aman Verma forced a smart save from Dixon with a shot on the turn, as the Gulls’ search for a leveller continued.

Six minutes into the second half, Torquay came close to levelling again as Ben Gerring missed the target with a glancing header following a free-kick from Luke Young.

On the hour-mark, Cox made his first change of the afternoon as Brad Abbott entered the fray in place of the injured Steve Williams, who had sustained a suspected broken cheekbone.

Within a minute of the substitution, the Gulls pulled themselves level through a long-range strike from stand-in captain Richards.

Torquay nearly edged ahead on 69 minutes, when Gerring connected with a corner from Butler, but the woodwork came to rescue of the Bluebirds and it stayed level.

In the 77th minute, Cox made his second and final substitution of the match when Jason Walker replaced Haworth as the former Mansfield manager looked to bolster his attacking options.

The Gulls took the lead on 81 minutes as substitute Sam Chaney released Harrad down the left-hand side and his cross found Blissett, who slotted home to score his seventh of the season.

Three minutes from time, Barrow almost snatched a late leveller when Cook headed a Jordan Williams corner against the bar. However, Cook was not to be denied a second time as – in the second minute of injury time – he slotted home an equaliser from close range to claim a point for the Bluebirds.

Torquay United (4-1-2-1-2): Brendan Moore; Aman Verma, Exodus Geoghaghon, Ben Gerring, Dan Butler; Courtney Richards; Luke Young (Danny Racchi 63), Josh Rees (Toby Ajala h/t); Iffy Allen (Sam Chaney 67); Shaun Harrad, Nathan Blissett.

Substitutes Not Used: Grant Fisher, Andre Wright.

Yellow Cards: Shaun Harrad (20), Iffy Allen (29).

Barrow AFC (4-4-2): Joel Dixon, Andy Parry, Nick Wilmer-Anderton, Steve Williams (Brad Abbott 60), Simon Grand, Paddy Lacey, Alex-Ray Harvey, Andy Haworth (Jason Walker 77), Jordan Williams, Andy Cook, Ben Tomlinson.

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

Yellow Cards: Andy Howarth (70), Wilmer-Anderton (72).

Referee: Adam Bromley (Devon).