PETE Wild's Barrow tasted defeat on the final day of the season as Stevenage claimed a 1-0 victory at the SO Legal Stadium. 

Jake Reeves' first-half goal was all that separated the two sides in South Cumbria as Stevenage played their final game in League Two. 

Wild made three changes to his Barrow side from the defeat against Hartlepool last week with suspended Harrison Neal and Patrick Brough dropping out and injured Josh Gordon not featuring.

Josh Kay, Tyrell Warren and Elliot Newby were all drafted in as the Bluebirds looked to end the 2022/23 League Two season on a high.

As for the visitors, Steve Evans rang the changes for the Boro with seven alterations to the side that were promoted with victory against Grimsby Town last time out.

In the first half it was Stevenage that had the better of things with Boro controlling possession and pressing the Bluebirds hard. 

Barrow did have an early chance with a Ben Whitfield corner falling to Robbie Gotts on the edge of the penalty area but his shot was blasted wide of Aldam Przybek's goal.

It was a dull half in the main, however, in the 25th minute, the game sprang to life with Stevenage opening the scoring.

Max Clark swung in a cross from the left-hand side that was cleared by George Ray only as far as Reeves on the edge of the box.

Reeves took the ball down and rolled it into the bottom left-hand corner past a rooted Paul Farman.

After this opener, Barrow looked to respond. Just seven minutes after the opener they had a big chance to level things when Ged Garner flashed a low cross into the box towards Josh Kay, however, the number 11 could connect with the ball and it rolled harmlessly away.

After this the first half began to peter out with Stevenage moving the ball well. 

Just before half-time, Paul Farman and Jake Forster-Caskey were booked for a scuffle following an offside and tackle in the Bluebirds area that also involved captain Niall Canavan.

Barrow came out in the second half with a renewed commitment and looked more up for it than in the first half.

This was evident when minute after the resumption of play, Kay chased down the ball as it was returned to goalkeeper Pryzbek and managed to block the clearance which landed at the feet of Garner, however, Barrow could not profit from this.

Gotts also had a long-range effort in these early stages collected comfortably by the Boro goalkeeper.

After this quick start by the Bluebirds Stevenage began to assert their dominance once again and began to take the sting out of the game but on 60 minutes they carved a good chance.

The ball fell for Danny Rose in the Barrow box but he had a swing and a miss and it came to nothing. 

On 70 minutes Barrow were left wondering how they were not on terms. Whitfield's cross was deflected into the path of Garner whose overhead effort was saved from close-range and then a legion of Barrow players could not turn in the ball.

Minutes later substitute Jamie Reid squandered a huge chance when he broke clear and got into the Bluebirds area.

He sat down a sliding Caravan but dragged his follow-up shot just wide of Farman's far post.

After a restricted first half the game had begun to open up and Barrow had another good chance.

On 74 minutes Kay got into a good shooting position but cannoned his effort into the chest of Przybek. 

In an attempt to rescue a final day point, Wild made a quadruple change with youngsters Benni Smales-Braithwaite and Pav Zuk being joined on the field by Jake Taylor and the retiring Jason Taylor who received a thunderous ovation from the Barrow faithful. 

Moments after his introduction, Jake Young went close but his shot from within the box was over the bar from the angle. 

Up the other end on 88 minutes, Reeves almost doubled his total on the day but his shot from a Boro counter was high and did not trouble Farman. 

Despite a lively second half Barrow could not find an equaliser and ended their 2022/23 League Two campaign with a defeat.

Barrow AFC: Paul Farman, Sam McClelland (Jason Taylor -80'), Niall Canavan (C), Elliot Newby (Jake Young - 80'), Josh Kay (Benni Smales-Braithwaite - 80'), Tom White, Robbie Gotts, Ged Garner (Pav Zuk - 80'), Tyrell Warren, George Ray, Ben Whitfield

Subs: Scott Moloney 

Stevenage FC: Adam Przybek, Luther Wildin (Makise Evans - 78'), Max Clark, Jake Reeves, Carl Piergianni (C), Jake Taylor (Jamie Reid - 58'), Dean Campbell (Alex Gilbey - 48'), Daryl Horgan (Kane Smith -78'), Jon Tomkinson, Jake Forster-Caskey, Danny Rose (Jordan Robert - 78')

Subs: Rylee Mitchell, Theo Alexandrou