League Two Barrow (1) v Rovers (0)

[Sparky]

A screamer from Dean Campbell who we were linked with. Sounded like it’s been all barrow second half and we created very little.

 

[bigmart]

Adkins happy with a point so may not risk it.

Not worked out sadly

 

[Higgy 2]

Even one of their players was pointing where that pass was going. Never should have got that shot off.

 

[Sparky]

Hawkes now on for mcalear but likely too late

 

[bigmart]

We set up to try not to lose today but its not worked out, hopefully we can get back on track next week

 

[Ian]

Hawkes hits the post. He's done more in 5 mins than the team have done in 85.

 

[Sparky]

Await any reports but it sounds like second half particularly it was all barrow without McGee being tested too much. Always a risk sitting in for a point away from home when the hosts put late pressure on.

Perhaps more disappointing is it sounds like we created very little. Not a surprise perhaps as only really Morris in the starting eleven is creative and we naturally missed Apter. As I’ve said previously I just hope Rob’s return to Blackpool doesn’t cause us real problems scoring goals, despite Hawkes hitting the post in his late cameo

 

[Sparky]

Hawkes hits the post. He's done more in 5 mins than the team have done in 85.

Unlucky with a good strike. People will say he should have been on earlier but you can understand Nigel picking the team he did away at barrow

 

[Ian]

Flat performance with very little attacking threat. Lots of huff and puff.. we need to address the loss of Apter. Using McAlear is a big downgrade.

 

[Ian]

People will say he should have been on earlier but you can understand Nigel picking the team he did away at barrow

You are not playing to win, you are playing to not lose which is always a risky strategy in my view as seen today. Barrow were not great and I think we could have done more against them. Bit too cautious for my liking.

 

[bigmart]

Unlucky with a good strike. People will say he should have been on earlier but you can understand Nigel picking the team he did away at barrow

Playing players out of position rarely works as today showed, if Saunders wasn't injured it was a poor decision to take him off as we had no pace as well as little creativity

 

[Ian]

Yeah, Jolley did nothing when he came on.

 

[Sparky]

I thought McAlear may play on the right today with walker coming back in but in hindsight, did we give barrow too much respect by not playing Hawkes?

Barrow were winless in 3 and lost 4-1 last week. We were flying. Perhaps we should have been more attacking and played Hawkes instead of Apter. With McAlear in there and an overall lack of creativeness did it invite barrow on to us especially late in the second half? When the goal came it was too late for us to respond.

I’d fully expect Hawkes to start next week when at home, but perhaps should have today too.

 

[dollar'sbloke]

Yawnfest, doubt Apter would have done much on that pitch anyone trying anything skillful tended to lose their footing. Bit of a screamer, Hawkes an inch off- small margins. Lost at 4th no dramas

 

[Boz]

It was hard to form a clear opinion of the first half due to the low sun, Morris had a good early effort and that seemed it. I didn’t think Saunders was that bad from what I could make out.

Second half was mostly Barrow. Connor Wood put a couple of very good balls into their box, but we were unable to force anything over the line. Jolley did ok, made a nuisance of himself won us a few free-kicks don’t recall any goal efforts from him. Hawkes unlucky with the effort that hit the woodwork, but whether he would have been the answer for a longer stint in an away game where some of their attacking threat was coming down our left is debatable.

I did think some of the senior pros were looking a bit jaded, Connor Jennings not as involved as usual and Walker a mixed bag, with some good balls but a suicidal underhit ball when we were pressing leading to their offside second. Nigel has a lot of thinking to do.

 

[Ian]

 

[bigmart]

Nigel said that Saunders has a hamstring injury and O'Connor a foot injury

 

[Am on mobile]

Not the best game we might need a few players shifted out and a few coming in

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I thought it was a solid performance and we deserved a draw.

The match was essentially a midfield stalemate, with both sides creating very little and looking very strong defensively. I personally think Adkins got the tactics right, with the one moment of quality the hosts produced ending up in the back of the net, whereas the one moment of quality we produced (from Hawkes) hit the post. They are the fine margins of football sometimes.

Barrow have an excellent home record and are only one point behind Wrexham and three behind Stockport for a reason. Yes, they did not show much quality in the final third today, but that is largely down to our defensive organisation. Barrow were strongest down their left side through Newby, and I think Adkins did not want to play Hawkes ahead of O'Connor on that wing and leave him exposed defensively, given Josh's reluctance to track back. Hawkes might have come on earlier, but when O'Connor went off injured it probably would not have been a good idea to play Hawkes ahead of the left-footed, out of position Norris.

It was noticeable that the winning goal came down our right, with McAlear and Norris failing to get tight enough to Newby.

We definitely missed Apter's dynamism in the final third, but some of our attacking play was decent up until the eighteen yard box and we simply struggled to break Barrow down due to their organisation at the back. It was always going to be a completely different game to Notts County.

Individually, I thought the centre halves and Hendry were very good and Morris again linked well with Wood.

We responded to the Walsall defeat with a victory in the following game, and it is important we do the same next week.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

It was interesting that in his post match interview Pete Wild commented that Barrow actually changed shape today to deal with our threats, and described us as the best team in the division in recent weeks.