NINE MEN RESCUED BY ROSS
BARROW showed a lack of class – before Ross Hannah showed his as their nine men nicked a sensational point.
The red mist descended on the Bluebirds when two red cards inside two minutes late on looked to be sending the Shots even closer to the play-off places.
But Hannah had other ideas and his stunning 35-yard free-kick whistled past Jake Cole deep into injury time.
Barrow full-backs Shaun Beeley, for violent conduct, and Nick Anderton, a second booking, both got their marching orders at 2-1 down and it seemed just a case of running down the clock.
Paul Cox’s side weren’t the only ones to lose their discipline as Hannah snatched a very unlikely point.
There was afters in the tunnel following the explosive ending and the Barrow boss said: “To not only come back from 2-0 down but to take a point with nine players, you have to be happy.
“I’m not sure about the first red for Beeley. He wasn’t the one who started the issue, I think the referee should have just flicked both players’ ears and got on with it.
“It looked as if we were still on the bus in the first half, I questioned one or two things at half-time. Ross’ free-kick is outstanding, out of this world. It’s a great point for us.”
It took Aldershot a grand total of 49 seconds to get things going. Barrow made a mess of clearing their lines and Matt McClure turned the ball home. Simple, but Cox’s side almost snatched an instant response.
Richie Bennett escaped his marker near post, got a tidy header on Liam Hughes’ centre and Cole’s left hand came to the rescue.
Escaping markers was a fea-
ture. Somehow Will Evans was untracked totally, Danny Livesey – one of the league’s most reliable – was having an afternoon to forget. Evans showed the visitors’ centrebacks how to get their head on a ball by nodding in after Scott Rendell diverted the defenders’ attention.
The rest of the game was a non-event until Barrow scored with their first decent attempt at goal of the second half on 73 minutes.
Shaun Tuton picked the ball up and ran. With nothing else on, he cut in and let fly. Cole unsighted, the Bluebirds had hope from nowhere. He should have been stopped long before he got within range but you have to credit Tuton’s guile.
Alex-Ray Harvey was lucky not to see red for a very late challenge on Shots sub Jim Kellermann and tempers frayed. When Beeley seemingly kicked out at Callum Reynolds, Constantine Hatzidakis didn’t hesitate in bringing out the red card.
Barrow were losing their heads. Anderton – their leftback who had a spell on loan at Aldershot last season – followed him down the tunnel for a second booking on the opposite side of the pitch. The Shots failed to kill the game and Hannah snatched an unlikely point.
Shots boss Gary Waddock said: “It’s a very disappointing result. We 100 per cent should have seen it out. The first half we were very good but the game lasted for 96. It was a great free-kick but we can’t be giving them the chance.”