‘Can we play you every week’ is the question Barrow AFC might be asking Port Vale as an impressive second-half performance led to a second win over their opponents this month.
It turned out to be more straightforward than the thrilling 3-2 victory over the Valiants in the Carabao Cup just under two weeks ago as they put last week’s Cumbrian derby disappointment far behind them.
Ged Garner set them on their way at Holker Street, and they continued to improve to a point where goals from Emile Acquah, Kian Spence and Dom Telford gave them a scoreline that was fully merited.
What is most encouraging as it is now three wins from three home games this season, with an exciting looking cup tie on the horizon against Championship side Derby County.
Stephen Clemence made three changes to the team beaten at Carlisle last week, with Rory Feely, Katia Kouyate and Ged Garner coming in for Neo Eccleston, Elliot Newby and Acquah.
The match got off to a quiet opening with neither side creating a chance of note, despite Port Vale looking the more comfortable in possession.
It was the visitors who had the first shot on target, although in truth Paul Farman was not really troubled by Ronan Curtis’ effort.
He was, however, stretched in the 21st minute when Curtis’ corner was met by a powerful header from Vale captain Ben Garrity that was superbly tipped over by the Barrow goalkeeper.
Farman then came to the Bluebirds’ rescue again after half an hour when he was forced to nudge a Curtis cross that got caught up in the Barrow breeze over the bar.
Having looked a little light in the final third, the hosts ended the first half well, Ben Jackson curling a cross in for Feely, whose header was held by Port Vale stopper Connor Ripley.
Barrow lost Conor Mahoney to injury six minutes into the second half, but the match was brought to life when the Bluebirds went ahead in the 54th minute.
The opener came from the same man who struck inside a minute of the Carabao Cup tie as Garner turned inside the area before stroking the ball beyond Conor Ripley and into the bottom corner.
The lead should have been short-lived when a mistake from Theo Vassell presented Garrity with a great chance that he squandered by shooting wide.
The hosts then suffered a second injury blow when Feely was forced off at a time when Vale were starting to crank up the pressure, Eccleston replacing him at right-back.
Despite this setback, Barrow’s lead was doubled after 79 minutes when two substitutes combined as Newby played the ball through for Acquah, who made no mistake by blasting his shot into the top corner.
It was very much game over three minutes later when Eccleston played a peach of a ball into the area that Spence dispatched from close range as the Bluebirds finished in real style.
Farman maintained his clean sheet by saving Ben Heneghan’s header before Telford provided the perfect finale of a fantastic afternoon by dispatching Newby’s cut-back in stoppage time.
Barrow: Farman, Campbell, Canavan, Spence (Foley 87’), Garner (Acquah 65’), Gotts, Kouyate (Telford 87’), Mahoney (Newby 52’), Feely (Eccleston 64’), Jackson, Vassell. Subs not used: Stanway, Dallas.
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