Barrow AFC 0 Maidstone United 1

TWO more new men making their home debuts and fielding only six players who started the season because the squad, assembled by someone else, is ravaged by injuries.

That shows the size of the challenge facing the new Bluebirds manager Micky Moore.

It is little wonder they played like strangers as they faced high-riding Maidstone United.

How the Bluebirds got away with losing by just one goal – and that from the penalty spot – tells more about the chances wasted by the Stone than anything Barrow had to offer.

However, to be fair, Barrow did look good for the first dozen minutes. It was a great pity it didn’t last.

A big problem was that Barrow players made too many casual passes in key areas while Maidstone players wasted nothing.

That’s the difference between a team in the top five and one in the bottom five of the table.

Chris Clements – Friday’s loan signing from Grimsby – came into Barrow’s midfield for the suspended Bedsente Gomis; Tony Diagne joined the defence for his first start.

Jack Barthram was back from his ban with a more forward role than Paul Bignot had supplied and Dave Fitzpatrick moved to the bench as Byron Harrison and Jordan White were paired as the attackers for the first time.

In only the third minute White tamely curled a shot wide and then when the striker dropped into midfield his good ball sent Dan Jones away down the left but there was no one in the box to meet his cross.

Byron Harrison beat the keeper to a ball out wide on the bye-line and while he got in his cross, White was bundled off the ball.

Harrison then chased another long ball but could only toe-poke his effort into the keeper’s arms.

Then in the 13th minute Barrow had a great escape when Jordon Thompson allowed a long ball to through to his keeper but Joel Dixon, well off his line, was distracted by the sudden presence of Jack Richards and Joe Piggot.

Richards probably could have netted himself but passed to Pigott who, fortunately for the Bluebirds, had wandered offside.

In the 33rd minute it would have been a rash and dangerous challenge on Jimmy Dunne had the Maidstone man connected. It was close enough for Dunne to shove his opponent in the chest and collect an unnecessary booking.

As time ticked towards the interval a Harrison cross was inches too high for White to connect.

Harrison in the form he showed when fit last season would probably have pulled the ball back and had a crack at goal himself.

The crucial goal came in the 51st minute. Johan Ter Horst was put through and Dixon brought him down. It was a split-second affair.

I thought Ter Horst had actually dispatched the ball just before he was brought down.

However, there was no doubt about Pigott’s penalty – he sent the ball to Dixon’s left while the keeper dived to his right.

Barrow thought high balls into the box from corners and Dan Jones’ long throws-in was the answer but Lee Worgan handled well in the visitors’ goal.

In fact I can‘t recall a single proper save by either keeper. Crosses came and went but there was no full-blooded blast on target.

In frustration Al-Ray Harvey tried one from fully 40 yards which went yards wide but won applause.

Barrow turned to the youthfulness of Harry Panayiotou to inject some pace into their attack.

His great enthusiasm earned cheers from the spectators but Barrow just didn’t have the guile to fashion an equaliser.

MATCH STATS

Barrow (3-5-2): Joel Dixon 6; Jimmy Dunne 6, Jordon Thompson 6, Tony Diagne 6; Jack Barthram 6, Dan Jones 6, Alex-Ray Harvey 6, Asa Hall 6, (73 Harry Panayiotou 7), Chris Clements 7, Byron Harrison 6, Jordan White 6

Subs not used: David Fitzpatrick, Paul Bignot, Liam Hughes, Donovan Makoma.

Yellow card: Jimmy Dunne.

Maidstone Utd (3-5-2): Lee Worgan 6; Magnus Okuonghae 7, Alex Wynter 6, Joe Anderson 7; Reece Prestedge 6, Stuart Lewis 6, Sethnana Twumass 7, Jai Reason 8, Johan Terhorst 7 (85 Ollie Muldoon 6); Joe Pigott 8, Jack Richards 7 (74 Tom Wraight 6).

Subs not used: Alex Finney, Jack Paxman, Tommy Taylor.

Referee: David Richardson. Attendance: 1,097

Star man: Chris Clements

Encouraging debut. Produced some fine touches in midfield and did his best to create openings.

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