Torquay United 4 Barrow AFC 2

A FRUSTRATED Barrow AFC left Plainmoor pointless after a baffling refereeing decision gave them an uphill battle to fight in their clash with Torquay United.

The game was locked at 1-1 just before half time when referee Richard Hulme awarded Torquay a penalty and sent midfielder John Rooney off, having deemed him to have committed a deliberate handball in the area.

Rooney, who has been instrumental for Barrow this season, made an inch-perfect slide tackle on a wet surface, the ball deflecting up off his leg and hitting his hand as he slid across the pitch.

Though no home player was near Rooney when the ball deflected onto his hand and despite the Bluebirds having players between the midfielder and the goal, the referee pointed to the spot and sent Rooney off, despite adamant protests from his teammates.

The Bluebirds began brightly and came close after just three minutes, as Scott Quigley broke down the right and played a low ball across the box which was put behind for a corner, just ahead of the onrushing Jack Hindle.

But AFC did take the lead with ten minutes played. Joel Dixon started off a blistering counter attack, with Hindle playing a superb through ball to Dior Angus, who rounded the keeper and slotted the ball into the far corner to make it three goals in three league games.

As the first half wore on, it continued to be an open affair, with goalscorer Angus and top scorer Quigley both having chances for the visitors.

Angus met a cross from the right-hand side, but his header was held by the Torquay goalkeeper Lucas Cavagnari before Quigley was dispossessed just as he went to pull the trigger from ten yards. Down the other end, Dixon made a routine save from Ben Whitfield before Patrick Brough had to be at his best to make a crucial block.

The home side equalised with just over half an hour played when good link-up play between Whitfield and Jamie Reid saw the latter played in on goal; he took a touch before firing past Dixon.

The game changed on 41 minutes when Rooney was sent off, with Reid firing the penalty past Dixon to give the home side a half-time lead.

Barrow’s task got even tougher six minutes into the second half. United were quick out of the blocks and they increased their lead when Armani Little got on the end of a low ball across the box to fire home.

It would have been easy for the Bluebirds to shy away, but they hit back just five minutes later. After a scramble in the area, the ball fell to Connor Brown at the back post, the full back firing home to notch his first goal for the club.

Despite being down to ten men, the Bluebirds then bossed the next 20 minutes, with Quigley and Brown both having half chances as the visitors looked for an equaliser.

However, they were hit with a sucker punch with 15 minutes left when a Torquay counter attack ended with Little firing home from close range.

At the full time whistle, the Bluebirds’ squad and travelling fans were left wondering what could have been, had it not been for a game-changing error from the man in the middle.

Barrow (3-4-1-2): Dixon, Hird, Platt, Brough, Barry, Taylor, Rooney, Kay (Brown 53), Hindle (Hardcastle 45), Angus (Penfold 84), Quigley.

Subs not used: Granite, Dyson.

Torquay United (4-4-2): Cavagnari, Wynter, Cameron, Cundy, Davis, Vincent (Lewis 79), Whitfield (Kalala 69), Buse, Andrews (Edwards 69), Little, Reid.

Subs not used: MacDonald, Duku.

Referee: Richard Hulme

Attendance: 2,280 (76 away)

Bluebirds star man: Brad Barry