Bromley’s 21-match unbeaten run was ended in a shock 2-1 loss at relegation-battling Barrow.
Danny Rose swept in a 67th-minute winner from Niall Canavan’s knockdown header as Barrow staged a second-half fightback to end Bromley’s 21-match unbeaten run.
Ashley Charles had initially curled the Ravens into a 35th-minute lead before Josh Gordon nodded in a 56th-minute deflection of Connor Mahoney’s shot on a counter-attack.
Barrow’s win lifted them up to 23rd in the table but they remained in the relegation zone on goal difference, owing to Crawley’s 2-0 last-gasp victory at home to Gillingham and Newport County’s home win against Shrewsbury.
League Two leaders, Bromley remain top of the table with their five-point lead over second-placed MK Dons still intact after the latter suffered a 1-0 loss at Salford, on a day which saw the three clubs sat top all lose whilst Notts County won 2-0 at Harrogate to displace Cambridge United in third as the Us lost 1-0 at Barnet.
Having made the 324-mile trip unbeaten in their last 21 matches, Bromley unsurprisingly made a strong start in windy conditions at Holker Street but struggled to create many clear-cut chances aside from Marcus Dinanga’s second-minute shot which was blocked.
Barrow however weren’t a team to underestimate despite sitting rock bottom of League Two and having lost 5-0 at Grimsby last weekend, because they soon settled down and dominated possession but too struggled to create many clear-cut chances of their own in the opening half hour.
Angus MacDonald though was frustratingly denied twice in the 14th minute as his initial shot was deflected out to Gordon, whose follow-up attempt was deflected back out to MacDonald but deflected behind.
Andy Woodman’s Ravens however have developed a habit of grinding out results in the last two months, which proved key as they had to play the patient game defensively out of possession until Corey Whitely forced a 34th-minute foul from Rekeem Harper on a rare foray forward.
Charles subsequently stepped up a minute later with a free-kick which flew into the far-top right corner albeit with a helpful fingertip diversion from Barrow goalkeeper, Wyll Stanway, which proved enough for the Ravens to go into half-time in the lead.
Nicke Kabamba almost doubled Bromley’s lead with a 50th-minute finish of Will Hondermarck’s pass but his shot was blocked by Stanway.
Barrow subsequently upped their intensity and broke forward from a 56th-minute Bromley corner as Jack Earing found Mahoney, who was able to drive forward and twist his way into the box before he unleashed a shot across goal which flew in off the face of Gordon to restore parity.
Bromley in-turn struggled to mount a respond as Barrow continued to up the intensity and won a 67th-minute corner, which Canavan knocked down for Rose to rifle low into the bottom-right corner to complete the hosts’ comeback.
Barrow continued their relentless pressing as Gordon attempted pass to tee up Mahoney on a quick 76th-minute counter-attack was blocked, before Earing’s shot two minutes later was too blocked.
Bromley almost equalised from a 84th minute deflection which fell to Corey Whitely but he rifled his shot wide across the goal.
Barrow then wasted two chances in the following minutes as Rekeem Harper’s shot was straight into Grant Smith’s arms, before Gordon nodded Mahoney’s cross over the bar but Barrow clung on to end their eight-match winless streak.
Although Bromley’s unbeaten run was ended, they remained five points clear at the summit after MK Dons tasted defeat at Salford who moved to within four points of the second-placed Dons, which left those sat between second to sixth separated by four points.
What’s Next?
Barrow begin their Easter double-header with a tough clash against another promotion-chasing team, as they visit MK Dons on Good Friday 3 April at 3pm BST, before they host play-off challenging Chesterfield 72 hours later on Easter Monday 6 April at 3pm.
Bromley commence their Easter double-header with a London derby as they head to North London to face Barnet at The Hive in a 3pm kick-off, before they host Shrewsbury at Copperjax Stadium on Tuesday 7 April at 8pm.
Teams
Barrow: Wyll Stanway, Ben Jackson, Angus MacDonald, Niall Canavan, Lewis Shipley, MJ Williams, Rekeem Harper, Connor Mahoney (Smith 87′), Josh Gordon, Jack Earing (Malcolm 88′), Danny Rose (Fletcher 82′)
Substitutes: Joe Anderson, Killian Barrett, Isaac Fletcher, Jovan Malcolm, Charlie McCann, Scott Smith
Bromley: Grant Smith, Marcus Ifill (Ajayi 72′), Omar Sowunmi, Zech Medley, Idris Odutayo (Ilunga 87′), Corey Whitely, Ashley Charles, Will Hondermarck (Arthurs 63′), Mitch Pinnock, Nicke Kabamba, Marcus Dinanga (Evans 62′)
Substitutes: Damola Ajayi, Jude Arthurs, George Evans, Brooklyn Ilunga, Carl Jenkinson, Ben Krauhaus, Sam Long
Referee – Robert Madley
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