Barrow AFC 2 Fleetwood Town 1

Saturday October 13th 2007 FA Cup Third Qualifying Round

Crowd 855

Goals: FTFC – Jamie Milligan BAFC: Matt Henney, Chris Thompson

Fleetwood travelled up to Barrow for this FA Cup Third Qualifying Round tie full of confidence following their recent run of emphatic victories in the league and cup. Greenwood’s desire to name that same team who had beaten Billingham Town in the previous round was, however, thwarted by the absence of wingback Jez Fitzgerald, sidelined for several games with injury. Shaun Gray was brought in as a direct replacement and so the team retained it’s now familiar 3-5-2 setup. A new face on the bench belonged to Lee Peatfield, a short term loan signing from Bury FC, brought in to bolster the left side during the absence of Fitzgerald.  

After a cautious opening spell from both sides, Fleetwood began to find their rhythm with, again, Walmsley catching the eye with a series of threatening right wing forays, one of which earned him a clattering from the Barrow left back for which the referee produced the first of many cards. The game remained feisty, with Fleetwood creating the clearest chances as Walmsley and Foster tested the keeper, and Milligan fired a free kick narrowly wide. Just before the interval however, Barrow midfield general Sheridan, who had been running the game for them, planted his studs on Foster’s shin, and was shown a red card. This single act appeared to change the whole course of the game as Barrow, backs to the wall, redoubled their resolve, and Town appeared to relax a little, perhaps thinking that the hardest part was done. A sortie upfield, five minutes from half time, saw Wilson pick up a ball that the defence assumed to be going dead, and turn it into the path of Henney who scored from a narrow angle.

The second half opened, as if in answer to manager Phil Wilson’s prayers, with a second goal for Barrow as Thompson, alone upfield, contrived to chip the Town defence and keeper from over 25 yards. That was the signal for Barrow to pitch camp in defence. Fleetwood, with Brown prominent in the acres of midfield conceded by Barrow, continued to press and eventually found the net in the 55^th minute when Foster put through by Brown, had his shot blocked for Milligan to fire home the rebound. That was probably the last good chance created by Fleetwood. Barrow introduced two new speedy forward players who, as Town pushed ever more bodies forward, ran unsupported in attack disrupting the Fleetwood back line and testing Danny Hurst on several occasions. Phil Robinson and Nathan Pond, who had both picked up yellows for minor indiscretions earlier in the game, earned second yellows as fatigue affected their judgement, and left the game, leaving a jubilant Barrow to celebrate progress to the next round.

Fleetwood Town Team: Danny Hurst, Kieran Walmsley, Shaun Gray (Lennie Reid), Martin Moran, Ricky Mercer, Phil Robinson, Michael Brown, Nathan Pond, Steve Foster, Alex Taylor (Mickey Saunders), Jamie Milligan Unused: Guy Heffernan, Lee Peatfield, Mike Hale

Officials: T Harrington (Referee), R Denton and M Dicicco