VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE

BARROW AFC 3 (Bennett 11, Beeley 41, Williams 43) NORTH FERRIBY UNITED 1 (Thompson 4)

WITH two games to go, the chances of reaching the National League play-offs are still mathematically alive for the Bluebirds.

If you had offered anyone that scenario at the start of the season, they would have taken it with both hands, no matter how remote the likelihood actually is.

As it stands, victory over North Ferriby means Barrow still need to win their remaining two games against relegation-battling Braintree and play-off rivals Dover. They also need Dover and Aldershot to lose their remaining fixtures. Slim chance indeed, but longer shots have come in.

This result against National League North-bound Ferriby was hard-fought and far from pretty, but it was as much as the Bluebirds needed to do.

Richie Bennett moved himself clear as the club’s top-scorer, Shaun Beeley netted his first for the club and Jordan Williams bagged his fifth in as many games. The three points are in the bag and now they must wait and see what develops.

It was an all-too-familiar tale in the early going, as Barrow had the chances, but still fell behind.

Williams glanced a header wide from a Bennett cross as he found space at the near post, then charged through the middle of the park and let loose from 20 yards with an effort Owen Evans parried before gathering.

The Villagers had shown nothing to suggest they were about to threaten the opener, and yet a throw from Taron Hare on the right was flicked on at the near post by Moussa Diarra and was heading for the far bottom corner, where Reece Thompson slid in to make sure it did find the net.

The Bluebirds were back on the offensive and a cross from Nick Anderton on the left was flicked on by Bennett to Williams, who swung a leg at it, but dragged the effort wide of the back stick.

It was not long before the sides were back on level terms, the goal coming from another throw-in.

This time, it was Beeley who pumped the ball in from the right, and Diarra flicked on again – this time to positive effect as it found the figure of Bennett, who headed down into the bottom corner.

What followed the early excitement was close to half-an-hour of pure mundanity. The ball went from one end of the pitch to the other and back again, rarely making it into either side’s area and mostly contested around the centre circle.

Moments after a Beeley cross was almost spilled into his own net by Evans as he scrambled back, the AFC full-back brought the game to life.

Taking possession of the ball on the right just outside the area, he cut inside and beat two men before hitting a left-footed effort past a stranded Evans for his first of the season.

A third quickly followed for the Bluebirds as, amid a scramble which saw loud appeals for handball, Williams turned and shot through a crowd of legs and into the bottom corner, with Evans in no position to react.

A 3-1 lead at half-time had the hosts in control, but after the break it was back to the mediocre football as the visitors created more chances, though they were few and far between.

Flatt saved two headers, the latter a good stop to deny Danny Emerton after the Villagers man directed an effort from the near post low down towards the bottom corner.

Connor Oliver had a 30-yard shot easily stopped by the Barrow keeper, before the home side finally created openings of their own.

First, Bennett headed a well-flighted Paul Turnbull free-kick just past the far post, before Williams was presented with a chance for his second in the area, but his shot was cleared off the line by Mark Gray.

A diving header from Hare at the far post produced another fine block from Flatt, with AFC breaking quickly down the right through Beeley. He worked hard to play the ball into Williams, whose turning effort was curled inches outside the top corner.

A corner from Turnbull was headed over by Danny Livesey as the home side started to take greater control, but Ferriby should have pulled a goal back as Beeley was penalised for bringing down Hare at the far post as they both went for a cross neither could reach, and the visitors had a penalty.

Oliver stepped up and hit low and firm. Flatt went the correct way to his right, but could not reach the ball, watching instead as it thudded against the foot of the post and bounced clear.

Harrison came off the bench for the final six minutes, and did not look entirely comfortable when jogging, but still showed a keen desire to be involved.

His return was a definite boost for the Bluebirs,who will continue to cling to their hopes of the play-offs, no matter how remote they are.

Barrow AFC: Jon Flatt, Shaun Beeley, Nick Anderton, Danny Livesey, Moussa Diarra, Matty Platt, Alex-Ray Harvey, Paul Turnbull, Akil Wright, Richie Bennett (Byron Harrison 84), Jordan Williams.

Substitutes Not Used: Ross Hannah, Elliot Newby, Lindon Meikle, Jack Thomas.

North Ferriby United: Owen Evans, Sam Topliss, Jake Skelton (Jordon Cook 16), Taron Hare, Ben Middleton, Mark Gray, Connor Oliver, Robbie Tinkler, Matty Dixon, Danny Emerton, Reece Thompson (Sam Cosgrove 71).

Substitutes Not Used: Kojo Kyei, George Bell, Tom Bolton.

Referee: Joe Johnson.

Attendance: 1,017.