MK DONS 2, BARROW 2

Barrow pulled off a miraculous comeback at Stadium:MK as injury-time goals from Ben Whitfield and Emile Acquah meant the Bluebirds salvaged an unlikely point from 2-0 down against MK Dons.

Max Dean’s first-half brace had put the home side two goals to the good at the break and Barrow were looking to be heading for a second defeat in three league outings before late drama saw Pete Wild’s men salvage a point.

There was one change to the starting line-up from the draw with Notts County in the Bluebirds’ last league outing as Luca Stephenson was handed his first league start in place of the injured Tyrell Warren.

MK Dons, who came into the weekend without a win in seven League Two games, made five changes to their starting line-up as Jack Tucker, Tommy Smith, Ethan Robson, Max Dean and Ellis Harrison were recalled to the XI.

Barrow made a positive start to their first ever trip to Stadium:MK, Sam Foley’s effort saved by Dons’ ’keeper Craig MacGillivray while Dean Campbell’s free-kick almost found the flying James Chester at the back post.

MK Dons made their first foray forward just past the 10-minute mark and Paul Farman’s unconventional save prevented Jack Payne opening the scoring. But a minute later the hosts were ahead when Dean turned and shot from the edge of the box, his deflected effort beating the diving Farman as it found the bottom corner.

Undeterred by going a goal behind, Wild’s men went in search of an immediate reply through Gotts, who twice fired over. Campbell saw his shot spilled by MacGillivray in the Dons goal while Ged Garner should have done better when he headed his effort straight at the Dons stopper.

But then came the sucker punch on 35 minutes after Alex Gilbey charged into the box and fizzed his cross across goal.

Ellis Harrison’s backheeled effort was blocked by Farman, who then did superbly to reach Dean’s follow-up with a strong right hand, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the striker nodding in the rebound to claim his first career league brace.

Barrow boss Wild called upon two of his six available substitutes at half time as Garner and Stephenson were replaced by David Worrall and Junior Tiensia, who hobbled off with help from the medical staff just seven nine minutes later.

Despite only being on the field for less than ten minutes, Tiensia’s bright cameo saw his cross met by Foley, but MacGillivray was there once again to keep out his low header.

MacGillivray continued to be a thorn in Barrow’s side as he diverted Gotts’ effort over the bar for another Bluebirds’ corner before the former Leeds man was replaced by Dom Telford.

Barrow did finally get their just rewards for the chances they’d created when substitutes Worrall and Whitfield combined, the former teeing up the latter who scooped his effort beyond MacGillivray in the third minute of injury time.

The visitors sensed their chance to grab an equaliser and on 95 minutes they secured their point. Top scorer Acquah had battled all afternoon long and when he picked up the ball outside the box on 95 minutes, he drove at goal and fired his shot over the despairing MacGillivray.