VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE

SOLIHULL MOORS 2 (Green 65, Afolayan 74) BARROW AFC 4 (Williams 26, 27, Hughes 29, Bennett 55pen)

BARROW made the perfect start to their mini tour of Britain, a quick-fire treble midway through the first half easing them to victory in the Midlands.

And with matches at Chester and Maidstone to follow in quick succession for Paul Cox’s side, the Bluebirds will be hoping for more magical away days as they look to claw their way into the play-off zone.

The visitors made their intentions clear straight from the off when, from a second-minute corner, defender Danny Livesey header over the Moors bar.

And Barrow’s aerial dominance was evident again soon after as Paul Turnbull’s cross from the right found Moussa Diarra, only for his looping header to be gathered by keeper Nathan Baxter.

In the build-up to the game, Cox had said he was hoping his players could show a more expansive side to their game away from Holker Street where sides often shut up shop in a bid to stop them playing. And this was the case on 13 minutes when Lindon Meikle pounced on a stray pass before picking out the impressive Jordan Williams on the left who fizzed a shot just wide of the far post.

The home side, playing with the nippy Oladapo Afolayan as their lone striker, finally tested Bluebirds keeper John Flatt midway through the half when Ashley Sammons fired in a shot which was parried only for a clutch of Solihull players to be flagged offside as they looked to pounce on the loose ball.

Such a stuttering start gave no indication of the drama that was to unfold over the next few minutes as Barrow made the most of some questionable goalkeeping from the home side’s on-loan Chelsea shotstopper Baxter.

On 25 minutes he pushed a Williams effort around the post but a minute later he was found wanting as the visitors again utilised their height advantage. A long throw was launched into the six yard box and, although Diarra’s header looked to be heading straight at the keeper, Baxter fumbled it and the ball ended up in the back of the net. Williams was awarded the goal.

Less than a minute later, the calamitous keeper dived to stop a Miekle shot going out for a goal kick and managed to push the ball into the path of Williams who calmly turned it into the empty goal.

The Moors were reeling and it went from bad to worse for them when, on 29 minutes, a Turnbull corner found Liam Hughes 12 yards out who looped a header over Baxter and into the roof of the net.

Barrow were now in total control with Turnbull and Alex-Ray Harvey – captain for the day to mark his 200th appearance – mopping up everything in midfield while Diarra and Livesey were winning everything at the back.

Solihull’s set-piece specialist Sammons crashed a 28-yard free-kick against the crossbar just after the half-hour but it was proving a quiet opening half for Flatt in the Barrow goal.

Any lingering doubts that the points would be heading back up the M6 were ended ten minutes after the break when Hughes was barged over inside the area and Richie Bennett scored his side’s fourth from the penalty spot.

With the introduction of substitute Andy Brown, the Moors began to pose a threat and they threatened to launch an unlikely fightback with two goals midway through the half – Kristian Green rifling into the roof of the net after a break down the right and Afolayan prodding home from close range.

But Cox’s side sured things up and not event an 88th minute sending off of defender Nick Anderton for a second booking could deny them the points.

Solihull Moors (4-2-3-1): Baxter; Green, Daly (capt), Kettle, Franklin (Sterling-James 82); Byrne, Maye; Charles-Cook (Brown 56), Sammons, Carline; Afolayan.

Substitutes Not Used: Lewis, Nortey, Coyle

Barrow (4-4-2): Flatt; Beeley (Rowe 41), Livesey, Diarra, Anderton; Hughes, Turnbull, Harvey (capt), Meikle (Wright ; Bennett (Tuton 75), Williams.

Substitutes Not Used: Hannah, Platt.

Attendance: 1,820.