[themaclad]

Accrington Stanley 1 McConville Barrow 1 Acquah

Stanley: Savin, Mellor (Whalley), Hills, Rich-Bagheulou, Quirk, Coyle, Conneely (Adedoyin), McConville (Pickles), Leigh, Nolan (Longelo), Andrews

Subs: Isherwood, Lowe, Woods

Barrow lineup: Lillis; Newby, Canavan, Ray, Warren, Worrall; Campbell (Duffus, 85), White (Tiensia, 72), Spence (Foley, 53); Garner (Acquah, 53), Proctor (Gotts, 72).

Had the choice of four games tonight, Blackpool, Fylde, Morecambe or a trip to darkest East Lancashire to watch a Lancashire Derby( Although in Cumbria in olden days it was a Lancastrian town)

Decided instead of the motorway to tke thge scenic route to the Crown Ground, off the M6 at Salmesbury going via Whalley and Great Harwood, the late afternoon sun making Pendle hill look impressive.

Apparently this was the first football league meeting between the ill fated 1961-62 season when Stanley departed the league they met on 25 September 1961 at Peel Park and the game ended 2-2, a week previously they had met at Holker Street with Barrow winning 3-1. It was a Division 4 game.

Barrow had a 100% record before the start of this one, so expectations were for a highly competitive game slightly wrong on that.
Firstly Barrow played in their first choice kit which is unusual these days as sides playing away tend to play in their 10th choice shirt. Decent following fro Barrow just over 500 in a gate of 2200

Stanley attacked the empty terrace in the first half, the away fans had been put in the stand at the side of the ground the Eric Whalley Stand. To be honest little happened in the first period Stanley had one effort over the bar and Barrow forced a series of corners which were cleared faily easily. Barrow tried to find experienced winger Worrall who appeared to have the beating of his full back, he linked well with ex Nobber Proctor and the rather imposing figure of Canavan marshalled the away defence well.
When Stanley's goal came just before half time, it was a goal to mtch the game scruffy, ball in from the right headed down and following a deflection McConville scrambled the ball home, he went to celebrate in front of the away fans making himself popular with them.
Almost immediate response from Barrow, Garner firing narrowly over, a missile was then thrown onto the pitch in the form of somene's training shoe.


As for the second half again both sides cancelled each other out, little in the way of goalmouth action however towards the last 20 minutes Barrow began to press, they had a free kick on the outside of the box which was fired majestically out of the ground.
The introduction of Acquah made the difference after he came on early in the second half, looked to take on plyers and generally made a nuisance of himself and with a couple of minutes remaining he fired home from the inside left position to give the visitors a probably deserved point. Five minutes injury time Barrow looked the more likely to win it but suspect they will be happy with the point.

The return journey home brought the first diversion the M61 was closed at the junction of the M65 the jotys of motorway travel for the football fan

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