Sutton and Barrow Share Points in an Engaging Stalemate
- Johnnie Lowery
- Nov 13, 2016
- 2 min read
Most people would automatically associate a 0-0 draw with a dull game, but Sutton United’s stalemate with Barrow at the weekend was not a bad game at all.
It was the home side that started the brightest as Gomis had an effort well blocked inside the first couple of minutes, before McAllister was rather unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty after what appeared to be a shove inside the penalty box. Barrow’s tall and physical defence rather limited any direct approach United had, but Deacon and Stearn nearly found a way around that with a short corner that ended up with Stearn, who signed for Eastleigh on Sunday evening, hitting the post with a fierce drive although it seemed Barrow keeper Dixon had it covered.
Just a couple of minutes after that opportunity Worner was forced into a great save from a Liam Hughes free kick, but Paul Doswell’s men soon reasserted their early dominance and saw Stearn go close with a run and shot just over the crossbar. Ross Stearn was excellent in his last game in a Sutton shirt and set Deacon up for a shot from just inside the box, which was well blocked by Barrow captain Livesey.
The visitors mostly threatened from set pieces in the first 45 minutes and nearly took the lead right on half time after a free kick was headed back across goal to former Chester striker Ross Hannah, who seemed odds on to put the ball in the back of the net. However he was thwarted by a determined block by Dean Beckwith, returning to the side after being suspended for the FA Cup game last week.
The second half was not as lively as the first, though there was an early chance for Ross Stearn – Dixon able to make the save at his near post. The visitors began to gain the upper hand and Worner was forced to save from Hannah’s effort from a tight angle, appeals of handball in the aftermath waved away by the referee.
The closest either side came to winning it was when Anderton hit a powerful drive from 30 yards out, which Worner had to be alive to. To their credit Sutton didn’t drop deep under the pressure Barrow put them under and for the last 5 minutes it was the away side hanging on, with Deacon having an effort saved at the near post before Craig Dundas put just too much on his attempted through ball right at the death Manager Paul Doswell, speaking to SUFCtv after the game, was satisfied with the result:
“They’re a very difficult team to play against; you’re constantly defending long throws and any set piece anywhere on the pitch they send the two centre-halves up”
“We worked hard this week on what Barrow do, I think they’ve worked quite hard on what we do, and to a certain extent we may have cancelled each other out”
“We felt in the first half we were very much the side in control, getting the ball down and able to play. In the second half they’ve adapted better to what they wanted to do”
“It could have been a different scoreline on the day, but at least it was an interesting 0-0”