BARROW 2, SUTTON 1

A FRUSTRATING afternoon for Barrow was turned around in the space of two minutes as they came from behind to beat 10-man Sutton 2-1.

Lee Angol hit the visitors’ goal on 33 minutes after the U’s had been reduced to 10 men, thanks to Harry Smith’s red card 20 minutes earlier for violent conduct.

But, as Angol looked to have given Sutton a second league win of the season, Emile Acquah and Jamie Proctor struck on 80 and 82 minutes to snatch a win that had looked to be slipping out of their grasp.

The Bluebirds had got their season off to a victorious start at Tranmere the previous Saturday, and Pete Wild kept the same starting team that won at Prenton Park.

And Barrow started the brighter of the two sides. However, despite forcing a series of corners, they couldn’t find an early breakthrough. In fact, they should have fallen behind in the seventh minute, when Sutton midfielder Omari Patrick sent a cross into Paul Farman’s box. An attempted clearance only sent the ball looping high into the air and Angol, under no pressure from any marker, was afforded a free header. Fortunately for the hosts, he couldn’t get his finish on target.

The Bluebirds were given a big boost on 13 minutes, when Sutton striker Harry Smith was dismissed for an off-the-ball clash with White. As the pair raced to get involved in the play, an innocuous clip sent White sprawling, and receiving a needless stamp by Smith after he hit the turf. Though referee Martin Woods didn’t see the incident, fourth official Helen Conley did. And Smith, possibly knowing he was guilty, offered little by way of protest when he was dismissed.

Barrow only began to make the extra man count and create clear-cut chances around the half-hour mark. Garner had the best two, thumping one fierce shot against the crossbar and seeing another, a neat volleyed flick from Campbell’s corner, hit the side netting.

In between those chances, though, came Sutton’s strike. Having been comfortable in possession for the most part, complacency set in and White dithered on the ball. Angol nicked it off his toe and charged in on goal. Though Paul Farman narrowed the angle well and saved Angol’s shot, the striker was alert enough to collect the rebound and stroke in for his first of the season.

The Bluebirds continued to toil after the break but with Sutton standing firm, they were still finding chances hard to come by. Garner once again went close, meeting Worrall’s cross but clearing the bar.

And after Wild sent on Proctor and Junior Tiensia, the latter’s superb pass put Garner in for another opportunity, one that he controlled well but again cleared the bar.

Not that Sutton didn’t have chances too. They could have made the game more comfortable with Angol shooting wide of the near post and Patrick forcing a save from Farman.

Tiensia created a chance for himself, darting between two defenders and letting fly but a half-block took the sting out of his shot and Rose was able to gather easily.

But Barrow would not be denied and another substitute, Sam Foley was at the heart of their comeback. He sent the ball over the top for Acquah to gather and drill into the bottom corner of the goal.

While that sent a huge sense of relief around the SO Legal Stadium, it turned to sheer delight moments later, when Foley found Proctor in the box and he poked in the winning goal.