Match Report -
Away defeats keep coming
By iain benson
Celtic crashed to their fourth consecutive away league defeat, their second in Cumbria, finishing the game with ten men after makeshift fullback Parr was dismissed.

The first half was okay for Celtic with Parton getting his first start and quickly working a couple of openings, the first a corner that Haran headed over, the second was well palmed away by Speare. After a couple of corners that amounted to nothing, Ellington was fouled just outside the box by Jones, who then headed the free kick out over his own bar for a corner. Brodie received the corner, blazing over from the corner of the box. A Prince corner caused some confusion in the Barrow box, eventually cleared back to Prince; he lifted it to Ellington who flicked a header goal-ward, only for Speare to make a decent catch. Parr then threaded the ball through to Parton who turned and fired off a low drive that Speare was equal to. Parton then shot wide after receiving the ball off Winn. After Brodie pulled the ball back to Keeling from a corner, he miscued his shot spinning it up into the air, Parton had a good body shape as the ball came down, but he volleyed wide.

Though the early majority of chances were falling to Celtic, Rogan at the other end worked a few chances. He wriggled his way through Keeling and Maxfield forcing Pettinger into a good stop, but midway through the half should have given Barrow the lead as he nutmegged Keeling and poked a shot towards goal that Pettinger saved with an outstretched toe. Rogan didn't stop trying, beating Maxfield and attempting to lob Pettinger, but also clearing the bar. Taylor found a bit of space for the home side to fire off a shot, but like Speare at the other end, he was up to the task.

Just before the end of the half, and Celtic knocked but couldn't get in: Brodie was fouled near the corner of the box, and Jones did the work of Speare putting it over his bar for a corner. Ellington got decent contact on the corner, but Ridley was there to put the ball out for a second corner. Maxfield whipped in a good ball, Ellington tried the flick, but put it wide.

The second half started much in the same vein, both sides getting chances. Ridley fouled Sykes outside the box, and Prince floated in only for Speare to pluck it off Sykes? head, and at the other end when Haran misjudged a bounce, Stringfellow found himself unmarked at the back post, but his header was somehow saved by Pettinger. Taylor tried to go through onto a Rogan lobbed ball, but he was always off-balance and couldn't get a decent contact, allowing Pettinger an easy catch.

Barrow began to edge in front as Celtic were pushed deeper and deeper. Maxfield conceded a corner that Pettinger caught off Rogan's studs before the inevitable happened. Stringfellow was through into the box, and Parr, asked to step in to cover for the injured Black, slid through the Barrow forward. No question, penalty.

Bond stepped up to take, and put it to the left as Pettinger dived to the right.

Celtic were going to need a huge slice of luck to get anything out of this game, and it came straight away. Parton pulled the ball back to Sykes who struck the ball first time, the box was crowded and Jones got the touch that deflected the ball ninety degrees wrong footing Speare and equalising for Celtic.

There the luck ended. Parr, already booked for a foul after the penalty foul, was pulled up for fouling Taylor. The referee showed him his second yellow, and dismissed him.

From the free kick, Keeling conceded the corner, which was whipped into the back post where Taylor was on hand to nod in a free header. A goal down, a player down, and heads went down.

Barrow were the dominant team, and Celtic were left chasing shadows. Kay (on for Winn), fouled Taylor, but Stringfellow was allowed to play on as he was one-on-one with Pettinger, Pettinger made himself big, and Stringfellow trundled the ball wide.

Just before full time, and Adam Jones (on for the injured Haran), almost got a dream league start, he put his head onto Maxfield's free kick, but the ball sailed over the bar, and at the other end, the Taylor had the chance to make the score-line more convincing after beating Keeling, Kay and Jones before tapping the ball into Pettinger's arms.

Three incidents from the out of position Parr saw the game turn into three points for Barrow: The penalty, the free kick that led to the corner and the sending off. Parr should not be blamed for the defeat; there were ten other players on the pitch with him.