BARROW’S troubling run of form continued with a 1-0 defeat at Doncaster.
James Maxwell notched the only goal in the first half as the Bluebirds’ winless streak was extended to six games.
Just one win in their last 11 now also means that the Bluebirds dropped into the bottom half of the League Two table.
Ahead of the game at the Eco-Power Stadium, Bluebirds boss Pete Wild made a couple of changes in the aftermath of Saturday’s disappointing and controversial home reverse at the hands of Newport County.
One of the alterations was enforced thanks to the appeal against Rory Feely’s red card at the weekend being dismissed a few hours before kick-off. So he’s out for three matches now, while Elliot Newby was dropped to the bench.
In came Tyrell Warren to take the right-back slot, while Robbie Gotts was also drafted back into the Bluebirds’ engine room.
Once again Wild only named six substitutes.
The Bluebirds’ first clash away at Doncaster since way back in 1998 saw the hosts create the first opening.
Experienced midfielder Tommy Rowe fired narrowly over the top from just outside the box.
The Bluebirds had been probing for an opening, but another defensive slip led to Rovers’ goal after 18 minutes.
Maxwell capitalised on an untimely slip by Warren before driving home via a slight deflection.
The Bluebirds’ were on the back foot, and just before the half-hour mark they almost fell further behind.
This time Luke Molyneux darted forward before fizzing a strike inches clear of the crossbar.
A rare Barrow attack came to nothing shortly after when Gotts couldn’t quite stretch enough to meet Billy Water’s fizzed cross.
A minute before the break Wild’s men threatened a leveller.
Ben Whitfield curled a decent free-kick into the Rovers box, only for Sam McClelland’s header to drift narrowly off target.
The Bluebirds needed to do better after an otherwise disappointing opening 45 minutes.
Newby replaced Warren at the interval, and he almost made an immediate impact.
His dangerous cross caused mild panic in the Rovers box as it was frantically hacked away from danger.
Ged Garner also saw an early shot blocked by the Doncaster back-line.
The visitors were doing their best to fashion a potentially telling opening, but the game as a whole was becoming scrappier as the hour mark passed.
However, Waters crashed in a shot which forced Jonathan Mitchell into a decent save, offering boss Wild some hope.
The Bluebirds’ tails were up as the 70-minute mark passed, and Garner went close again when another effort of his was well saved by Mitchell.
As the visitors continued to apply the pressure in search of a leveller, Whitfield was next to go close as he smashed one just past the angle.
It was soon after that when a partial floodlight failure led to a six-minute delay, but once play resumed, Barrow were on the front foot again.
Sub Jake Young went closest to a dramatic late leveller, but Barrow just couldn’t get the ball over the line during 11 minutes of added time.
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