Bluebirds keep pressing but fall to late defeat to Newport

Barrow suffered stoppage-time agony as captain Micky Demetriou earned Newport a first win at Holker Street since 1964.

Demetriou’s first goal of the campaign came in the 95th minute with Pete Wild’s side down to 10-men.

Irish defender Rory Feely was red carded by referee Seb Stockbridge in the 81st minute though home fans thought the challenge of Adam Lewis should have been only a yellow.

Barrow have yet to score at Holder Street this season and haven’t won a home game since last November.

Top scorer Josh Gordon was again missing with a hamstring strain while record signing Ged Garner made his home debut.

Newport were unchanged after beating Swindon 2-1 last time out to end a run of five games without victory.

And that meant a return to Holker Street, via Exeter City, for striker Ozzy Zanzala who last played for the Bluebirds in December 2021.

Within a minute the former AFC striker had the ball in the net but home blushes were spared by a linesman’s flag raised for offside.

Garner was prominent in Barrow’s early responses, a promising surge finished by a weak shot and then setting up Ben Whitfield for a first corner.

The same player was tripped by Demetriou, resulting in a booking for the County captain. Garner’s free kick was fired straight at the wall but his header from Harrison Neal’s cross did force a save from Nick Townsend.

Elliot Newby’s centre was then hooked just over the bar by Sam McClelland as Barrow kept up the pressure.

However, it needed Paul Farman’s smart 26th minute save by his near post to deny Manchester United loanee, Charlie McNeill, the opening goal.

The 19-year-old played and scored against the Cumbrians earlier this season in the Papa John’s Trophy.

Whitfield brought a routine save from Townsend but Newport finished a mixed quality opening period in the ascendancy.

Aaron Lewis and Harrison Neal traded bookings before a rare moment of quality. Waters won the ball in the centre circle to send Newby racing forward.

Newby’s low left foot shot was creeping into the bottom corner before Townsend deflected it for a corner.

Brough and Canavan then contrived to make a real hash of a clearance. But another defensive embarrassment was avoided when Aaron Lewis shot across the face of goal though Newport claimed Farman got the vital touch.

Brough atoned with a superb sliding tackle on Zanzala with the striker bearing down on Farman.

Omar Bogle was Zanzala’s lively replacement and Farman had to be alert with the sub’s curling left foot effort.

Wild introduced Young, Bennett and Foley with 16 minutes remaining to try and wrest the initiative away from Newport.

Instead substitute Calum Kavanagh’s header had Farman scrambling to keep out a potential winner.

Farman succeeded but had no chance when Demetriou climbed highest to convert Adam Lewis’s cross to record that historic victory at Holker Street.