Barrow Town Reserves beat Loughborough FC

LEICESTERSHIRE SENIOR LEAGUE DIVISION ONE BARROW TOWN RESERVES 2 LOUGHBOROUGH FC 1

THIS one was billed as the top team against the bottom team but manager Alan Shipley rang the changes again and this time got it right as the Luffs finally looked a proficient Senior league side and could have and should have got something from this game.

Having said that this was a good game of football with two very good sides playing the game on a perfect surface and the results was an entertaining spectacle. It took the Aths a little while to get to know each other and Barrow proved to be an efficient passing side and had most of the early possession but they couldn’t unlock a now solid Loughborough defence.

Loughborough welcomed back the big man up front in Femi Ojo and he proved as handful for the Barrow defence. The Luffs began to show a desire to attack and new man Khadir Hamza had a shot blocked while Captain Jordan Ross enjoyed being surrounded by better players and marshalled his defence well.

Barrow were struck by a mid half blow as their keeper Adam Hendricks suffered a calf injury and had to be replaced, Cory Herbert stepping in between the sticks. He very nearly suffered a baptism of fire as he misjudged Xoloni Megan’s cross and juggled the ball off the back post before pushing it to safety. The game settled into a good contest with nothing much to choose between the team, new signing Denis Adjei hit one just past the post against his old club Barrow while Roman Strong did something similar at the other end.

The Loughborough new keeper Jamie Doggett was well protected by his new back line but when called upon he was down quickly at the feet of the Barrow forward to smother the ball. Loughborough forced a series of corners and Femi Ojo headed just over the bar but that elusive goal wouldn’t come for the Luffs. It looked like being stalemate at half time but on the forty-fifth minute disaster struck, was it a penalty, opinions varied on whether it was or not but Roman Strong dispatched the kick and the home side went in 1-0 up.

The second half began badly for the Loughborough side but it has to be said Barrow had the rub of the green for this one as the ball bounced unpredictably in the area, it could have bounced to a defender to be clear but Tome Pitt got lucky for the home side and he tapped it over the line from close. There have been a few collapses by The Luffs in early games but this line up are made of sterner stuff and went looking to get back into the game. Femi Ojo shot just over the bar and Barrow survived a goal mouth scramble which looked odds on to provide a goal but things are no yet going the way of The Luffs.

Ouakari Diawara had the Loughborough keeper Doggett at full stretch but it was a good save and it looks as if the Luffs may have solved their goalkeeping problem. The Luffs forced the Barrow team back on defence, a penalty appeal was denied before the Loughborough side finally got their break through. It was new man Deni Adjei who finally whacked the ball into the net with the Barrow defence all over the place.

What a difference a goal makes, Loughborough were a new side and Barrow were on the ropes, Adjei had got a taste for goals and hit a free kick against the inside of the post but it wasn’t to be and the league leaders survived intense pressure to keep their lead.

The Luffs are at home to struggling Holwell Sports on Saturday, KO 3pm.