Hayes & Yeading made the long trip to Cumbria and returned with a point after a late Esmond James strike cancelled out an opener from Barrow's Jason Walker.

Garry Haylock made three changes from the side that drew with Eastbourne on Tuesday evening, Steve Basham replaced Sean Canham who has returned to Notts County, Toby Little swapped places with Dale Binns and Danny Allen-Page came in for Craig Watkins who took a place on the bench. Still missing from the United midfield was the injured Justin Cochrane.

The first half was somewhat of a non-event as United continually closed down the home attack, frustrating the home players and crowd alike. The first opening came on 16 minutes and actually fell to United when a cross from the right was partially cleared to James Mulley but his volley was well over the Barrow bar.

Five minutes later Gregg Blundell found Paul Rutherford on the left, he showed Danny Allen-Page a clean pair of heels before crossing into the centre where a scramble ensued before the ball was hacked clear by Matt Ruby. just a couple of minutes later Esmond James and Mulley combined with the former firing a left foot shot that only just cleared Stuart Tomlinson's goal.

Barrow found a way to goal just after the half hour mark when a low drilled corner found it's way to Mike Pearson on the edge, his goalbound shot being kicked away by Allen-Page inside the six yard box. Another Bluebirds corner minutes later again caused panic in the United defence when Simon Overland punched the ball vertically before Ruby again cleared his lines by putting his boot through the dangerously bouncing ball.

Barrow started the second period with a dramatic triple substitution and with it a change of formation that took just seven minutes to bear fruit. Basham had fired over for United from an acute angle before a long flat throw from Barrow's Simon Spender seemed to be watched by all in red as it found Bluebirds top scorer jason Walker who hit a first time shot from 20 yards that flew into Overland's top right hand corner.

This goal was the start of a lengthy period of domination for the home side but United's were resolute in defence. Marc Goodfellow crossed fast and low from the right, picking out Andy Bond who just cleared the bar from 20 yards. Minutes later the home side went close again when Walker slid in Craig Nelthorpe who fired into the side netting.

Just after the hour mark it was almost a second for the home side courtesy of a comedy of errors. Walker brilliantly turned Tom Cadmore on halfway before racing away down the right, he mis-kicked his centre that fell to Ruby who managed to slice the ball skywards with it spinning just wide of the upright.

Midway through the half Barrow again went close from distance as Goodfellow tried his luck from fully 35 yards only being denied by a full stretch tip over by Overland in the United goal.

Just two minutes later United's best chance of the half saw substitute Dale Binns break from his own half leaving two Bluebirds in his wake before finding fellow bench warmer Scott Fitzgerald at the far post, his drive hitting Tomlinson in the midriff before the home stopper pounced on the loose ball.

Having already injected Binns and Fitzgerald into the action, Garry Haylock decided to go for it by throwing on his last substitute in the shape of striker Craig Watkins while withdrawing defender Ruby. Watkins was soon into the action as he held up the ball on the left before finding Adam Green whose cross was tucked home by James who had arrived un-noticed at the far post.

With United short at the back and the home side somewhat stunned by being pulled back barely a chance came until the very last move of the game when a Fitzgerald centre was met by Basham only for his header to come back off the face of the Barrow crossbar and seconds later the final whistle sounded and the long journey home commenced.

Report by Kevin Watts. Photos by Ray Peploe.

United Man of the Match: Esmond James.