DESPITE Tyler Smith’s opener, Barrow AFC were unable to make it back-to-back home wins, lapses of concentration either side of half-time condemned them to defeat against Gateshead.

In his programme notes, owner Paul Casson stated last season would be ‘condemned to the rubbish bin, if the Bluebirds had claimed their fifth home win of the campaign, which would have eclipsed last year’s sorry tally before September was out.

They actually picked up where they had left off at the weekend and could have been more than 1-0 up by the time Gateshead hit them with a sucker punch in first-half stoppage time.

While the defensive switch-offs cost them, Barrow’s players will be cursing their luck slightly, with the woodwork denying them twice over the course of the evening.

After such a good performance against Maidenhead last Saturday, it wasn’t much of a surprise to see Ian Evatt name an unchanged line-up, with Dan Jones recovering from a kick to the shin to start.

AFC absolutely flew out of the traps with the first of three chances in the first five minutes coming when John Rooney’s low effort was held by Gateshead ‘keeper Aynsley Pears after a clever free kick from Rory Holden.

The Bristol City loanee then picked out Smith with an excellent pass and Pears had to be alert at his near post to deny the striker.

But he was left waving a fantastic long-range strike from Holden goodbye, following the resulting corner, and was relieved to see the ball clatter off the top of the bar.

Gateshead’s goal continued to be peppered when Josh Kay’s low fizzer from 25 yards flew not far wide – the only worry was that the Bluebirds weren’t making these early chances count.

Luke Molyneux sent the first meaningful effort for the visitors wide after 24 minutes, but the breakthrough Barrow so deserved arrived soon after.

Luke Burgess received the ball in space just outside the box and played a brilliant ball through for Smith, who in turn bent a superb shot into the far corner for his sixth of the season.

Andrew Firth was called into action for the first time when Scott Boden’s looping cross found Steven Rigg and his volley was just about held by the Bluebirds stopper.

But AFC couldn’t see out the first half with their lead intact, as the Heed equalised with virtually the last kick before the break, with Boden sweeping in Luke Molyneux’s low cross.

The hosts then trailed within two minutes of the restart when Robbie Tinkler found Greg Olley in too much space down the right and the midfielder was able to score at the near post.

Trying to recover from that double blow, Barrow began to settle again, with Kay swapping passes with Burgess before dragging a shot wide from the edge of the area.

But the ball wasn’t making its way towards the Gateshead goal with the sort of sweeping certainty that characterised the majority of their first half performance.

Firth, in fact, had to keep Barrow in business when he had to tip over a rising drive from Scott Barrow, who nearly notched against the team with whom he shares a name.

The Heed were creating a far more effective defensive barrier than they were earlier, which reduced Jason Taylor to shooting wildly over the bar when Rooney’s corner was cleared his way.

After a lack of home chances, two then came in quick succession with seven minutes left, as Rooney’s shot from a narrow angle was beaten away by Pears.

Moments later, the ball was pulled back for substitute Jack Hindle, whose curling effort bounced back off the post, as the Bluebirds’ luck turned for the worse again.