A GOALLESS draw it may have been – a bore draw it certainly wasn’t, and Barrow still seek their first win over Alfreton in over a decade.
Either side could have won it with chances created in a lively end-to-end contest, and if Barrow probably had the edge on opportunities numerically it was Alfreton who had the best of the lot.
That was in the 68th minute, when James Scales needlessly brought down Laurie Wilson in the penalty area, but Josh Law’s spot kick grazed the outside of a post.
Barrow arrived as one of the in-form sides in the division, having lost only two league games since Dave Bayliss and Darren Sheridan took over as joint managers in October, and their meteoric rise up the table nurturing Play-off hopes.
The Reds were without skipper Tony Butler, serving a suspension following his dismissal against Kettering a fortnight ago. And with Peter Knox also an absentee and second choice keeper Phil Senior having departed for Ilkeston, Reds boss Nicky Law named only four substitutes.
Anton Brown reverted to left back after a few midfield outings, with Danny Reet filling the vacant wide berth and Brian Cusworth and Paul Clayton taking the front two spots.
Matt Wilson, who was outstanding at the back for the Reds and effectively dared his manager to drop him when Butler returns, almost gave his side a fifth minute lead with a downward header from a corner, but Lee Woodyatt stuck out a leg and cleared it off the line.
Alfreton had made the brighter start, but the Bluebirds threatened when Mark Boyd’s 12th-minute free kick curled behind off the outside of a post.
Law’s driving run four minutes later gave him the whiff of a chance but in an eye-ball to eyeball confrontation with Tim Deasy the keeper managed to palm the finish away for a corner.
Matt Wilson got in a crucial challenge when Ryan Elderton put Nick Rogan in on goal for the visitors, and Rogan was denied again, finishing wide after getting the better of Rob Pacey following Deasy’s long punt downfield.
Deasy again did well to palm away Cusworth’s downward header which looked a goal all the way from Kyle McFadzean’s searching cross.
The home fans behind the goal bayed for a penalty when Clayton was left grounded amid a ruck of players from Law’s free kick into the Barrow box.
But the Bluebirds should have gone in for the break with the lead, for in the 44th minute leading scorer Matt Henney was clean through chasing Steve McNulty’s through ball. As Kyle Sutcliffe advanced Henney could only direct the ball into the keeper’s arms.
There was momentary panic for the Reds four minutes into the re-start. Sutcliffe, attempting to kick clear, completely missed the ball outside his area, and was forced to recover and dribble it away from Rogan as the striker sought to punish the error.
Four minutes later Jason Walker sent Scales through on goal. It looked a great chance, but just as Scales was about to pull the trigger Matt Wilson raced across to take the ball off his toe and concede a corner.
Alfreton looked to have a strong case for a penalty in the 62nd minute – twice over with an apparent handling offence and a push on Clayton.
Those appeals were waved away, but the referee was pointing to the Barrow penalty spot six minutes later following Scales’ foolish foul on Laurie Wilson. One would not expect Law to miss from the spot, but his penalty grazed the outside of Deasy’s left hand post.
With the upper hand constantly switching between the two sides, both Brown’s shot and Law’s follow-up were blocked
At the other end Sutcliffe had to go full stretch to claw Paul Brown’s angled effort from a deep corner away with the aid of the woodwork.
And the Reds keeper made an unbelievable stoppage time save when Brown ghosted in to meet a free kick, throwing himself to his left to turn it away, again fully extended, as the Reds maintained their Indian sign over the Cumbrians.
ALFRETON: Sutcliffe, McFadzean, A. Brown, L. Wilson, M. Wilson, Pacey, Law, Warne, Cusworth (McDonald 84), Clayton, Reet. Subs not used: Barnard, Bowler, Walton.
BARROW: Deasy, Woodyatt, Elderton, Jones, McNulty, Henney, Scales (Bond 72), Boyd, Walker (P. Brown 62), Rogan, Thompson. Subs not used: Sheridan, Hardie, Bayliss.
REFEREE: Stephen Martin of Stafford.
ATTENDANCE: 343.
CAUTIONS: Alfreton – Brown 28 (foul on Rogan). Barrow – Rogan 63 (foul on L. Wilson); Elderton 67 (deliberate handball).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Matt Wilson.
