Their goals were not enough to see Dover into the play-off places but they made sure there was no win for Woking . . . and that meant Barrow staying in the National League.
The Bluebirds couldn’t deliver themselves what was required – even against a Chester team already relegated. But the roar from the Holker Street terraces, when they heard of the news of those goals, showed just what relief they brought.
So a season that started farcically with five different managers in charge in less than two months ended with Barrow avoiding relegation and scraping home by one point.
Manager Ade Pennock made two changes to his starting line-up with the unavailable Kingsley James and Nathan Waterston, carrying an injury, replaced by Lewis Walters and Grant Holt.
Chester, with three of their Academy players in the side and four more on the bench, started rather nervously and when Barrow had an early corner James Jones headed over his own bar.
Then a throw-in from Dan Jones bounced across the face of the goal and just wide of the far post. Yes, things were looking good.
However Chester showed they had spirit when Craig Mahon beat two men as he dribbled down the visitors’ right wing only to lose the ball. Then a tempting cross forced home keeper Arnold to punch away before Jordan Gough fired inches over.
Grant Holt’s frustration grew as he kept sending passes not to the feet of his colleagues but to where he thought they should have been.
Then disaster struck in the 20th minute. A through ball caught the Barrow central defenders napping and keeper Arnold stood rooted to the spot as Jordan Archer fired home.
Seven minutes later there was a roar from the crowd as 300 miles away, in Woking, Gallifuoco had put Dover ahead.
It should have got worse for Barrow in the opening minute of the second half.
A Chester corner got to the far post and the unmarked James Akintunde, who had looked very effective until then, somehow let the ball bounce off him and into keeper Arnold’s waiting arms. What a let off.
It urged Barrow to step up a gear, but crosses by Luke James and Lewis Walters went behind waiting colleagues.
However, Jordan White saw his chance for the equaliser in the 54th minute as he pulled the ball down and steered it inside the post for 1-1.
It spurred Barrow on. Diarra fired over the bar and while Holt didn’t connect with an attempted overhead kick, had he connected and scored, they would most likely have heard the cheers in Woking!
A MacDonald free-kick from just outside the box went inches over before a Walters effort was punched away from just under the bar.
But with 14 minutes remaining Barrow paid the penalty for throwing everything into attack and more slack defending saw Tom Crawford grab the chance to put Chester ahead again. Barrow, surging forward, had to step up their game. But that equaliser wouldn’t come.
Then in Surrey the game at Woking went into added-on time. News of a goal.
What relief as Marsh-Brown had got the Dover winner. Barrow could relax.
It wasn’t a case of “job done” but the outcome was the one desired.
Bring on National League action once again next season.
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