Pete Wild feels comeback win at Mansfield will give Barrow renewed confidence

Posted Sunday, January 08, 2023 by PA

Barrow boss Pete Wild believes his side will take renewed confidence for their promotion push after coming from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at rivals Mansfield.

The victory saw the Bluebirds leapfrog the Stags into the play-off spots with their first win in six and Wild said: “Two mistakes saw us 2-0 down as we again gave a team a head start. I thought we were dead and buried and it was going to be a long afternoon.

“But Bill getting that goal out of absolutely nothing gave us a foothold to try to push on.

“Over the last few weeks I have been trying to find a way to get us going again. I have been trying all sorts of things.

“The funny thing is the answer has smashed me in the face – go back to being us. I have learned a valuable lesson today.

“That dressing room is full of character and belief. We have looked nervy in recent weeks – you do when you’re not in the best run of form. That result today gives that dressing room so much confidence and belief coming into the second half of the season that they can really push on.”

Stephen McLaughlin forced a free-kick through the Barrow wall from almost 25 yards on nine minutes, with Barrow goalkeeper Paul Farman unable to keep it out.

And when Stephen Quinn robbed George Ray and raced clear to slot under Farman on 25 minutes the Stags were in command. But a loose ball a minute into added time before the break saw Billy Waters somehow curl a finish round everyone and inside the far post from a tight angle on the left.

Four minutes into the second half, interval sub Josh Gordon headed in his 11th goal of the season from Tyrell Warren’s cross and the comeback was complete on 77 minutes as Warren again crossed from the right and, with Gordon behind him, Oli Hawkins turned into his own net.

Mansfield manager Nigel Clough was unhappy with his side for gifting the opposition a way back into the match for the third time in four games.

He said: “Again we were punished for giving the ball away just before the whistle and, until we learn, it’s going to be tough. All we can do is keep telling the players. You should learn it at 12-13 years of age.

“We should kick the ball out the ground or into the stand.

“But we gave the ball away and they got such a lifeline from it. They should have been dead and buried. At 2-0 at half-time they have a mountain to climb.

“For 45-and-a-half minutes it was as good a performance as we have put in until that one moment of poor decision-making has cost us.

“The whole game changed in that one moment.

“They came out a different team in the second half.

“Second half we had enough to go and get a goal. I thought we got into some great positions but didn’t get in a cross.”