VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE

DOVER ATHLETIC 1 (Bird 72) BARROW AFC 1 (White 53)

RYAN Bird’s second-half header denied the Bluebirds their first away win of the season at the Crabble.

The forward flicked a Femi Ilesamni’s cross into the side of the net on 72 minutes after Jordan White had powered in Dan Jones’ cross from the left 20 minutes earlier.

It was a result which means Barrow have gone four games unbeaten, though late opportunities will mean they will have thoughts they should have taken all the spoils.

Earlier, manager Paul Cox made four changes to the side that started the 3-3 draw at Solihull Moors on Tuesday.

With Adi Yussuf’s tight hamstring still not being risked, and Jimmy Dunne suspended following his red card in the midweek game, Cox had only 13 outfield players to choose from.

That meant a squad of 15 – including goalkeepers Stuart Moore and Sam Ramsbottom – was named just five matches into the season, and there was some shuffling among the starting line-up.

As Dover started with three men up front, Barrow switched to four at the back, with Jack Barthram dropping to the bench and Thierry Audel and Dan Jones filling the full-back berths, either side of Moussa Diarra and Dave Nieskens.

Harry Panayiotou was rewarded for his late penalty equaliser at Solihull with a first National League start for Barrow, with Liam Hughes brought into the side on one wing and Bradley Bauress on the other.

The hosts – 3-1 winners in this fixture for each of the past two seasons since AFC’s return to non-league’s top-flight, the result two years ago immediately preceding boss Darren Edmondson’s exit – started brightly, and Jamie Allen had the first chance, pouncing as Moore was caught off his line but firing over.

Panayiotou created the opening for Barrow’s first opportunity, but his ball across goal could not find Bauress.

The visitors threatened again from a short corner routine between Dan Jones and Alex-Ray Harvey, but the ball into the area was skewed so wide as to go for a corner by Nieskens, unable to replicate his opening effort from earlier in the week.

Diarra and Audel both looked particularly strong at the back – the former with one superb tackle to dispossess Kane Richards as he looked to break through and the latter looking comfortable out wide rather that in the heart of the defence.

Audel was caught out when he was left trying to deal with both Richards and Femi Ilesanmi at once, with the latter putting in a fine cross to the area which Ryan Bird could not meet – Hughes getting an ear-full from his team-mate for not tracking his man back to prevent the overlap.

The deadlock was almost broken from nowhere as Panayiotou hit a cross-cum-shot with the outside of his boot that caught everyone unawares and smacked against the face of the bar and out again.

Barely 60 seconds had passed before Panayiotou had another chance, this time as one of Jones’ long throws broke to him, but his shot was straight at Mitch Walker.

Moore had to be aware to punch away a dangerous ball from Ilesamni at the other end, while Walker found himself facing down with increasingly-impressive Audel. The AFC full-back made a run from inside his own half and all the way to the Dover area, beating three men but seeing his effort on goal saved low down at the near post.

There was early second-half pressure from the hosts, with an Allen ball into the area and clearing Hughes, leaving Ilesamni caught unawares and unable to capitalise.

There were no such issues at the other end, as a fine cross from the left into the area by Bauress found the head of a towering White, who powered his effort into the back of the net for his third of the season – all headers – to give AFC the lead.

Diarra was at it again to prevent a quick Dover equaliser as he stuck out his leg and prevented Ryan Bird capitalising on a through ball from Ilesamni, the big Frenchman having one of his best displays in a Barrow shirt.

He continued in that vein as substitute Kadell Daniel beat Audel and put a ball into the area, but Diarra was the man with another key intervention to stop Tobi Sho-Silva capitalising.

Diarra could not keep it up forever and Ilesamni was able to put another cross in, this time with Bird beating his marker to the ball and heading home the equaliser.

The goal saw Barrow start to stutter, and Dover continued to look for openings through Ilesamni and Daniel on the left, where they started to expose Audel’s isolation.

Panayiotou had an effort plucked out of the air by Walker shortly before his was substituted after an impressive, whole-hearted effort in attack, but Dover held the main threat, with Daniel almost forcing an opening with a run and cross that Nieskens had to put behind.

Barrow had the chance to find a second as Cockerline broke with Alex-Ray Harvey, with only Loui Fazakerley there with them, but he neither took on the man nor tried to find Harvey, instead scuffing an effort wide.

Another great opportunity came and went on the brink of 90 minutes, as this time Cockerline showed great skill and played the ball into Bedsente Gomis, who had the ideal chance to fire home but miscued well over the bar instead.

Those were the final chances for the visitors to take what would have been three deserved points, but they were made to settle for the draw instead and a now four-game unbeaten run.

Dover Athletic: Mitch Walker, Loui Fazakerley, Femi Ilesanmi, Giancarlo Gallifuoco (George Essuman 28), Manny Parry, Conner Essam, Kane Richards (Kadell Daniel 61), Mitch Brundle, Jamie Allen (Tobi Sho-Silva 61), Ryan Bird, Nortei Nortey.

Substitutes Not Used: Mitch Pinnock, Manny Adebowale.

Barrow AFC: Stuart Moore, Dan Jones, Thierry Audel, Moussa Diarra, Dave Nieskens, Alex-Ray Harvey, Bedsente Gomis, Liam Hughes, Bradley Bauress, Jordan White, Harry Panayiotou (Dan Cockerline 76).

Substitutes Not Used: Sam Ramsbottom, Jack Barthram, Donovan Makoma.

Referee: Neil Hair.