Barrow AFC 0 Wrexham 0

It wasn’t all three points this time, but Barrow AFC’s revival goes on after going toe-to-toe with Wrexham, one of the promotion chasers in the National League, at Holker Street.

Twelve places separated the two teams prior to the game, but that certainly didn’t show, as the Bluebirds gave a very good account of themselves and certainly had their chances to win.

The new formation being used by Ian Evatt – plus the returns of some key players – have given them a new dimension in their last couple of games and supporters are possibly starting to see why their manager wasn’t worried by the recent losing run.

While they looked lively up front, they also managed to keep back-to-back clean sheets for the first time this season. Could we be about to see some consistency from AFC at last?

There was one enforced change from the team that defeated Aldershot last Saturday, with Kyle Jameson coming into the back three for the suspended Dan Jones.

Barrow should have been ahead inside three minutes as Tyler Smith retrieved a loose ball just to the left of the goal and stood up a cross that John Rooney managed to head wide from close range.

The midfielder was adamant had come off a Wrexham defender, possibly even his arm, but the referee wasn’t interested in his appeals.

It was part of a lively start in particular from Smith, who was again enjoying the extra freedom afforded to him having Jacob Blyth alongside him up front.

The Welshman in AFC’s ranks, Rhys Norrington-Davies, then fired over from the edge of the area, as the hosts continued to have the better of the early proceedings.

Wrexham did start to play their way into the game, however, and came within a whisker of going ahead when debutant Bobby Grant rose to meet James Jennings’ cross, with his header coming off the foot of the post.

The Dragons were then forced into a change, with the injured Rekeil Pyke being replacing by ex-Bluebird Paul Rutherford. FA Trophy 2010, and all that.

Another good chance for Barrow came after 34 minutes when Kemy Agustien chipped the ball ahead for Jack Barthram, with his cut-back finding Smith, who was denied by the legs of Wrexham ‘keeper Rob Lainton.

Grant, who was making his debut on loan from Fleetwood Town, then threatened again just before half-time, with his powerful shot from 25 yards proving awkward for Joel Dixon.

It was about right that the two teams turned around at half-time still level, after an even opening 45 minutes, but AFC would have to play without an injured Brian Wilson in the second half. Connor Brown came on in his place.

Brad Walker had the first shot in anger for the visitors after the restart with his long-range volley travelling comfortably wide, as his side resumed more on the front foot.

They stretched the Barrow defence just before the hour mark, with Rutherford finding Grant in space, with the striker being denied again by Dixon before Luke Young’s follow-up was well blocked.

Without doubt, this was Wrexham’s best spell, with Luke Summerfield volleying off target after the ball had sat up nicely for him.

Blyth then had his first big chance of the night when he was just unable to direct Norrington-Davies’ swinging cross either side of Lainton, as AFC almost sucker-punched their opponents.

That opening raised their belief again, as substitute Josh Kay tested Lainton with a daisy-cutter from outside the area before Rutherford almost haunted his old club when his curler was plucked out of the air by Dixon.

Rooney, who was up against former employers himself, then had a free kick shovelled away by Lainton before Blyth couldn’t quite reach Jack Hindle’s low cross.

In the end the spoils were shared – a fair result – and the Bluebirds have another promising performance to build upon for Saturday’s visit to Braintree.

Barrow AFC (3-4-1-2): Dixon, Wilson (Brown 45), Granite, Jameson, Barthram, Taylor, Agustien (Kay 61), Norrington-Davies, Rooney, Blyth, Smith (Hindle 76)

Subs not used: Burgess, Sousa

Wrexham (4-3-3): Lainton, Roberts, Pearson, Lawlor, Jennings, Summerfield, Walker, Young, Grant, Beavon (Fondop 77), Pyke (Rutherford 27)

Subs not used: Dibble, Maguire-Drew, Wright

Referee: Matthew Dicicco

Attendance: 851