HARRISON HAMMERS BLUEBIRDS’ ADVANTAGE
BARROW manager Paul Cox wants the club to make the most of their 20-match unbeaten run after comfortably disposing of promotion rivals Dagenham & Redbridge.
The Bluebirds haven’t been beaten in the National League since August 20 and never really looked in danger here once Liam Hughes headed them into a 41st minute lead.
Byron Harrison doubled the advantage on the stroke of halftime and Barrow clicked into cruise control after the break with further goals from Richard and a Harrison penalty deeming Corey Whitely’s late goal back for Dagenham as mere consolation.
The result sees the Bluebirds climb above the Daggers into third in the table but, although delighted with the three points, manager Paul Cox is not getting carried away just yet.
“The psychological edge doesn’t mean much to me as it’s early days yet,” Cox said.
“I won this title with Mansfield Town when in January we were in 10th and 10 points off top.
“What the win does, we’ve made sure people are aware of who we are, what we are and what we can achieve if we continue in the vain we have.
“There’s still a million and one things for us to improve on. Our depth and quality is lacking behind the big boys, like the Forest Greens, and I want to make sure we cater for that.
“We’re here on merit and we want to stay there, consistently affecting the high end of the table.
“There needs to be some serious planning going forward to make sure these boys who are working ever so hard have that little bit of help when they need it.”
With the injured Scott Doe and suspended Andre Boucaud in the stands, the Daggers always looked to be lacking leaders – especially given that new signing Magnus Okuonghae was thrust straight into the starting line-up just 24 hours after arriving at the club and Scott Heard was making his first home start.
Both appeared to wilt under the pressure, with Heard guilty of giving the ball away for the second and Okuonghae conced- ing the penalty for hitman Harrison to wrap it up on 77 minutes.
Indeed, Dagenham assistant Darren Currie – leading the Daggers from the sidelines with manager John Still recovering from illness – admitted the Essex club lacked leaders on the park, and that could have been crucial against a well-drilled Barrow outfit.
“You have to take your opportunities when you get them and we didn’t,” Currie said. “We created enough and looked a threat from set pieces, but it felt like men v boys, certainly in the first half.
“We changed the show and had a little go in the second half. At 3-1, there might have been a chance, but then we gave away a cheap penalty. The bottom line is, Barrow took their chances and we didn’t.
“We have some young boys, but they have to understand at 20, you’re still in a game, but they felt sorry for themselves.
“We were trying to remind them a lot could happen in 45 minutes. Unfortunately we conceded again, gave ourselves a little glimmer, but never really looked like we would score.”
The Bluebirds hit the front on 41 minutes when Hughes clinically headed in a Jordan Williams corner.
And the Daggers were staring down the barrel on the stroke of half-time when Harrison doubled the Bluebirds’ advantage after a swift counter-attack.
Goal number three arrived on 63 minutes in spectacular fashion – Bennett finding the net with a vicious half-volley.
Dagenham pulled one back through Whitely two minutes later, but all hopes of a home comeback were dashed 13 minutes from time when Okuonghae pushed Moussa Diarra in the box and Harrison stepped up to slot home his 16th goal of the season.