Barrow 0 Brakes 0: Tricky conditions at Holker Street mean absent Holleran misses nothing nothing

Liam O’Neill took charge of the team with manager Paul Holleran unable to travel due to illness, and was proud of the way they performed to halt a run of three defeats.

It was impossible to gauge the full abilities of both sides as they battled as much against the elements as each other, but both deserve full credit for doing their utmost to try and win the game.

Leamington played into the swirling gale in the first half and it was evident early on what they were up against when Peter Till’s corner, directed at the centre of the penalty area, ended up being carried almost 25 yards from goal.

Danny Newton, restored to the starting line-up after injury, drove over the bar from the edge of the box while Nick Rushton set up team-mate Paddy Lacey at the other end but the defender’s shot was deflected behind.

The resulting corner was not properly cleared and Joe Magunda made a fine block to deny Robbie Williams a sight of goal before Richard Davies blazed the loose ball high over the bar.

Newton then won another corner for Brakes. Till kept his delivery low and Josh Hawker’s shot from outside the box deflected through to Tony McMillan in the Bluebirds goal.

Both sides were being forced to work hard with and without the ball, the conditions leading to countless passes and clearances skewing out of play, particularly in front of the main stand.

Barrow came close to opening the scoring when Lee Chilton was penalised for handball as he attempted to control on the edge of the box.

Andrew Burns fired the free-kick into the defensive wall and Barrow skipper Danny O’Donnell lofted the ball back towards goal where Tony Breeden had to watch it all the way as he caught it under the bar.

Liam Daly’s defensive header then whistled over his own goal as he rose to deny the hosts from a dangerous cross into the centre.

Leamington were moving the ball around well when in possession and a fine pass from Magunda between two defenders saw Chilton advance in from the left wing towards goal but his shot struck a defender.

Daly was then called into action to deny Ted Cribley as the midfielder was played into space in the penalty area.

Duran Reynolds almost gifted Leamington a chance just before half-time when his pass back to his keeper was missed by only a matter of inches by the sliding Danny Newton.

Breeden required treatment as he claimed a well-struck free-kick before the whistle, but both teams would have been grateful to reach the sanctuary of the dressing room to regroup.

The second half was not quite as eventful as the first which was hardly surprising as the weather worsened, but both sides continued to show plenty of endeavour.

Gareth Arnison did well to direct a header on target from a corner as the hosts pushed into the wind, while Lee Moore did likewise at the other end after Ryan Higgins played the ball back towards goal.

Will Green did his best to make a nuisance of himself and a strong run from the right wing into the box was only halted by a stern challenge.

The substitute also fired over late on, but both home boss Darren Edmondson and O’Neill would have been satisfied with a point given the awful conditions.

Barrow: Tony McMillan, Andrew Burns, Duran Reynolds, Paddy Lacey, Danny O’Donnell (Alex Ray-Harvey, 61), Robbie Williams, Ted Cribley (Phil Marsh, 61), Richard Davies, Nick Rushton (Dan Pakinson, 84), Gareth Arnison, Liam Willis. Subs not used: Sam Sheridan, Niall Cowperthwaite.

BRAKES: Tony Breeden, Ryan Higgins, Stephan Morley, Joe Magunda, Liam Daly, James Mace, Peter Till (Matt Dodd, 83), Josh Hawker, Ricky Johnson (Will Green, 71), Danny Newton (Lee Moore, 59), Lee Chilton. Subs not used: Josh Green, David McNamee.