Barrow manager Phil Brown not happy with award of late Salford equaliser

Posted Tuesday, April 19, 2022 by PA

Barrow boss Phil Brown was left disgruntled by the award of a late Salford equaliser after the sides battled out a 2-2 draw on Monday.

Play-off hopefuls Salford opened the scoring in the 23rd minute against the run of play when Ryan Watson picked up the ball on the edge of the 18-yard box and saw his strike deflect past a diving Paul Farman.

Relegation-threatened Barrow drew level in the 66th minute when Josh Gordon connected with a John Rooney free-kick at the near post and glanced his header past Tom King, and the visitors thought they may have secured all three points when Aaron Amadi-Holloway hammered home in the 83rd minute.

But Gary Bowyer’s side had the last word when substitute Ian Henderson was credited with a goal a minute from time, much to Brown’s discontent.

Brown said: “Before the game would I have taken a point, judged on the performance last Friday and the way the team are playing under pressure.

“You cannot measure passion or desire and that’s what we had absolutely bags of today. At half-time I was disappointed with the scoreline because I thought we were well and truly in the game.

“There wasn’t really great quality because I think, I’m not too sure, but Salford have trained on here all week, so it wasn’t a good surface.

“They’ve got a big fella up to who was getting a lot of protection in the first half whereas Aaron Amadi-Holloway seemed to get no protection whatsoever, but second half it changed a bit. I’m not saying I complained at half-time but it changed.

“When we went 2-1 up, you want to get the points but for the referee to give a goal when the ball hasn’t crossed the white line and his excuse is that he could’ve given a red card and a penalty, give the penalty and red card… I just don’t get that.”

Salford head coach Bowyer claimed Brown’s half-time words with referee Andy Haines “seemed to have an effect”.

“I’m not sure (if a draw is a fair result),” Bowyer said. “We got our noses in front with the aid of a deflection and I’m delighted for Ryan Watson – that’s what we brought him here for – and then I didn’t think there was much in the game.

“I’m afraid to say the referee had a major influence in the second half. I know that they weren’t happy with his first-half performance, and they vented that frustration with him going down the tunnel and it seemed to have an effect.

“We’re really disappointed with the manner of the two goals but I have to say the response was terrific. They didn’t feel sorry for themselves and, moving forward in these last three games, that’s a big moment, the way that they reacted and they’ve got to respect that point.”