Moore accepts he isn’t every fan’s pick but some took matters into their own hands towards the end of the 3-2 defeat at new leaders Sutton United on Saturday.
Casson was subjected to a lengthy verbal volley in the main stand by four irate Bluebirds fans unhappy with how the club is being run by the Texan-based owners. Casson didn’t react to the angry group who demanded answers to why the club are struggling in the National League – and wanted to know why Moore was picked to take the team until 2019 after an unconvincing spell as caretaker boss.
The defeat at Gander Green Lane would have done little to ease any tension. Barrow sit just a point above the bottom four places and have won only once since Paul Cox called time at Holker Street on August 24.
How they could have done with his hard-to-beat attitude in the capital, despite two Byron Harrison goals really getting his season up and running.
Plagued by injuries and having to juggle his patched-up troops, Moore was right in describing the three minute spell just after half-time as “suicidal”. Especially as Barrow worked so hard to get themselves level.
They could have been out of the game early on, Moses Emmanuel’s second-minute effort cannoned off the excellent Joel Dixon’s post while Ross Lafayette and Craig Eastmond also missed good chances. Their opener was a fluke. Aswad Thomas’ floated free-kick missed everyone and somehow sailed into the back of the net 25 minutes in. Those things go against you when you are at the wrong end.
But Moore’s men can score goals and on Harrison they can rely. He converted his penalty seven minutes before the break after Bradley Bauress was felled in the box.
On the stroke of half-time they almost fell behind. Jamie Collins’ quick thinking from a free-kick freed Kieron Cadogan who fired forcefully but Dixon held firm. The away side retreated to the dressing room happy with their first half’s work - but there was a lot more of it to come.
Sutton swarmed Barrow at the start of the second half and they simply had no answer. That’s not to say the U’s were superb. They weren’t, and didn’t have to be. All they did was stretch their legs and Moore’s team played into their hands with awful errors.
Disorganised in their own box, the ball ran onto Josh Taylor and the winger got a toe to the ball as he beat the onrushing Dixon and his shot squirmed in. It was poor from a Barrow point of view and things were about to get worse. A total switch-off allowed Eastmond so much freedom and his slide-rule pass was a goal on a plate for Emmanuel who couldn’t miss from four yards out.
Sutton had the Bluebirds where they wanted them, Paul Doswell’s side on course to go back to the top of the table with results elsewhere on their side.
It could have been 4-1 soon after, but Emmanuel couldn’t double his tally thanks to some brave play on the line by Dan Jones, and minutes later we were wondering if that was to be a game-changing moment.
That’s because Harrison, who will be so key if the club are to sort out a season which is fast getting away from them, was the man in the right place. He tapped into the net after it fell perfectly for him. Game on, but Barrow didn’t possess enough to force the issue.
Half chances and efforts from range were the best they could offer. It’s now two points collected from a possible 12 since beating Boreham Wood, and they’re looking over their shoulders.
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