ADY’S GIVEN A WELCOME GIFT FROM ACE YUSSUF
A STUNNING hat-trick by Adi Yussuf brought an end to Barrow’s run of 10 games without a victory – and it put a big smile on the face of Ady Pennock who will officially start his role as the club's new manager next week.
Pennock changed his mind over sitting in the stand and joined interim boss Neill Hornby on the touchline, and helped inspire the Bluebirds to arguably thekir best result of the season.
In contrast, however, it was a result to shock highflying Aldershot Town, whose manager Gary Waddock was far from happy.
“I’m bitterly disappointed,” was his verdict. “Our supporters deserve better than that for travelling up here.
“It was arguably our worst performance since we have been together. If I am brutally honest, and I’ve told the players this, I thought it was pathetic.
“Over the last four or five games I have seen it coming. We have been average at best. Conceding early gives you a mountain to climb.”
The first Barrow goal came after just five minutes when Chris Clements fed Byron Harrison who put the ball through for Yussuf to send it past keeper Mark Smith, who was given the nod over Jake Cole in taking the gloves.
The second came six minutes before the interval when home keeper Stuart Moore took a free-kick and Yussuf let the ball run before he deceived his marker and got clear to send it home. The way the second half started it looked as if the game was far from settled. Within a minute of the restart, half-time sub Jake Gallagher took a free-kick – one of 19 given against Barrow by referee Simon Lucas – and the ball went out to the left flank where Ipswich Town loanee Adam McDonnell powered it into a crowded penalty area and the ball found its way into the net. It seemed as if it was game on for the visitors and the home defence had to do some heroic defending. Another Gallagher cross was just inches too high for in-form front man Scott Rendell and Moore had to get down to some low shots as Barrow strove to hang on to their lead. But the game was settled in the 65th minute as Yussuf brushed away Callum Reynolds as he chased after a through ball and he suddenly realised keeper Smith was way off his line so from fully 30 yards he sent the ball bouncing home. Incoming Barrow boss Pennock said: “It’s nice to get the three points – for everybody involved with the football club. “It has been tough. We won’t get carried away but it takes small steps. That performance makes you wonder why we are in the bottom four but the club has been very unfortunate with injuries. “We didn’t carry anybody today. Everybody put a shift in and that is important.”