Exeter City fell to defeat as Barrow took the points at the Progressions Solicitors Stadium- by Jed Penberthy 

Pierce Sweeney found the net with all but the last kick of the game, but the damage was already done after Patrick Brough and Scott Quigley’s goals for the hosts. 

Matt Taylor opted for one switch from Saturday’s victory over Cambridge. Nigel Atangana earned himself a start as Lewis Page dropped to the bench. After twenty minutes Exeter registered the first shot of the game. Jokull Andresson’s launch found Ryan Bowman high up in the Barrow half. His cushion header was met by Archie Collins who sliced it wayward of Joel Dixon’s post. The home side frustrated the Grecians and Jack Sparkes was restricted to a speculative try from distance, which scarcely threatened. Matt Jay had first real chance of the day on 38 minutes. The City man jinked and jived in the Barrow box and played a one-two with Randell Williams. Alas, the ball got stuck underneath his feet and his poked effort was safely recovered by the Bluebird’s keeper. A couple minutes before the break, Josh Key forced a corner out the on the right. Williams’ delivery was flicked on by Archie Collins at the near post and after an almighty scramble, Kgosi Nthle was felled and the melee ceased. And despite City’s control and solidity for the first half it was the hosts who fortuitously went ahead with the last kick of the half. Bobby Thomas bundled his way into the box and the ball too kindly for Patrick Brough who dispatched past Andresson to put the hosts ahead. City’s second half fight almost got off to the dream start. Jake Taylor played a sumptuous reverse ball into MJ. A little push back to Josh Key allowed the full back to deliver a ball towards Collins in the centre. The 21-year-olds header didn’t quite have the right connection and Barrow survived. Taylor tried to inject some life into the game with a gorgeous turn just outside the Barrow box. After a nice turn of pace his cross his blocked cross asked a tiny question of hands, but instead a goal kick was favoured. Archie Collins let fly from the edge following a corner but could not find his usual purchase. Exeter almost found an equaliser as the game drifted into the last ten minutes. Jake Caprice found half a yard of room down the right and teased a ball to the back post. Sparkes charged in, yet his header was denied by Dixon. Lewis Page tried his luck 25-yards out but his first-time effort flew wide. Somehow the home side couldn’t extend their advantage. Quigley outmuscled Key and flashed a ball across the City 6-yard-box but Brad Barry inexplicably put it over with the goal gaping. But Barrow did make the points safe in added time, when Scott Quigley squeezed the ball under Andresson. That said City did eventually find the net when Sweeney managed to bundle in at the far post following a corner- but it proved little consolation as a hard day at the office ended in defeat for the Grecians.

Barrow AFC: Dixon, Brough, J. Taylor ©, Quigley, Davies, Ntlhe, Barry, C. Taylor (Beadling 73’), Eardley, Thomas, James (Andrew 73’)

Subs: Moloney, Jones, Beadling, Sea, Andrew, Banks

Exeter City: Andresson, Key, Sweeney, Parkes, Sparkes, Atangana (Fisher 74’), Taylor ©, Collins, Williams (Seymour 56’), Jay (Page 58’), Bowman

Subs: Maxted, McArdle, Hartridge, Caprice, Page, Fisher, Seymour

Referee: Ross Joyce