VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE

MAIDSTONE UNITED 2 (Pigott 45, Lewis 62) BARROW AFC 1 (Turnbull 9)

BARROW’S play-off hopes suffered a set-back as they came up against a Maidstone United side who are top of the form table and fighting hard to avoid relegation, writes RUTH TUNNELL.

The Bluebirds’ recent busy fixture list appeared to catch up with them at the Gallagher Stadium.

After taking an early lead, Barrow should have put the game out of reach of the Stones, but they were left to rue their missed chances as the hosts went from strength to strength and came from behind to send Barrow to only their ninth defeat of the season.

Maidstone started brightly, but with nine minutes gone Barrow were awarded a free-kick about 20 yards from goal.

Paul Turnbull noticed that keeper Lee Worgan had left a gap to his right, which he exploited by curling a perfect shot into the unguarded side of the net.

Barrow could have pulled further ahead.

Maidstone’s defence stopped as they expected an offside flag from a long ball forwards and it came to Jordan Williams. Williams did not appreciate how much time he had though, and his early low effort was easily stopped by Worgan.

Minutes later, Barrow went even closer. Lindon Meikle found Richie Bennett, who was just inside the box and his shot towards the near post was going in until Worgan did well to get down quickly and divert it behind for a corner.

As the game moved towards the later stages of the first half, Maidstone started pushing hard for an equaliser.

Joe Pigott played a good ball into Jamar Loza, who cut into the box and fired wide and then a lovely one-two between Alex Flisher and Jack Paxman ended with Paxman hitting the post from close range.

Then four minutes before the break, Turnbull was once again involved as Barrow put the Stones defence under pressure.

This time, he crossed from the right and Moussa Diarra won the ball before Danny Livesey headed goalwards, only for the effort to hit the post.

Maidstone seemed buoyed by this let-off and Barrow soon had Jon Flatt to thank for keeping the scores level. The Barrow keeper flung himself to his left to make an excellent save from a fierce drive from Reece Prestedge.

But Flatt could do nothing to prevent the Stones from equalising with 45 minutes gone. Paxman’s corner caused a scramble in the box and when the ball came back in, Pigott timed his run to turn into space, take a touch and squeeze his shot past the Barrow keeper.

The break did not seem to revitalise Barrow, and in the second half they were dominated by the Stones for long periods.

With 57 minutes gone, Prestedge hit a long ball forwards for Pigott to chase, and as Flatt came off his line, the Maidstone striker tried to lob him, only for Flatt to expertly push the ball on to the post.

Flatt came to the rescue again seconds later as this time he made a good save to deny Paxman.

Despite Flatt’s heroics, Barrow then conceded what turned out to be the winner just past the hour-mark.

A ball into the box caused problems for the AFC defence, and Pigott got a touch which allowed Stuart Lewis to arrive and finish from close range.

While the Bluebirds never looked like getting back into the match after this point, Flatt continued to shine in the remaining time.

First of all, he denied Loza in a one-on-one situation and then, after Loza had effort headed off the line, Flatt made another fine save from Paxman after the Maidstone midfielder had reacted to reach the rebound.

To add to Barrow’s woes, Dagenham, Tranmere, Lincoln Dover and Aldershot all won – with Forest Green and Gateshead the only other play-off contenders to suffer defeat.

Maidstone United: Lee Worgan, Seth Nana Twuamasi, Kevin Lokko, Jamie Coyle, Tom Mills, Jack Paxman (Harry Phipps 86), Reece Prestedge, Stuart Lewis, Jamar Loza (Yemi Odubade 90), Joe Pigott, Alex Flisher.

Substitutes Not Used: George Oakley, Bobby-Joe Taylor, Magnus Okuonghae.

Barrow AFC: Jon Flatt, Shaun Beeley, Danny Livesey, Moussa Diarra, Dan Rowe, Liam Hughes (Akil Wright 61), Alex-Ray Harvey (10. Ross Hannah 78), Paul Turnbull, Lindon Meikle (Shaun Tuton 67), Richie Bennett, Jordan Williams.

Substitutes Not Used: Matt Platt, Inih Effiong.

Attendance: 2,803.