A game more notable for the deluge of rain than actual quality saw Bromley grab a share of the spoils with a fantastic late equaliser from substitute Blair Turgott.
Despite the late drama the game as a spectacle was a sight for sore eyes as neither team was able to deal adequately with the conditions leading to long periods of scrappy play. That the goals for both sides came courtesy of mistakes was no more than the game deserved.
Following the 0-5 reverse at home to Eastleigh on Bank holiday Monday, Bromley manager Neil Smith shuffled his pack recalling Ben Chorley, Adam Cunnington, Joe Howe, Reece Prestedge and Tobi Sho-Silva for Dan Johnson, Alfie Pavey, Jack Holland, Conor Dymond and Blair Turgott respectively. The change in personnel had a positive impact in the opening ten minutes as George Porter in particular fashioned early opportunities for the Ravens. On two occasions Porter did well to beat his man down the right wing and deliver dangerous low crosses into the box, Louis Dennis screwed the first chance wide from six yards when it seemed easier to hit the target. Sho-Silva connected well with the second cross but his first time goal-bound effort was brilliantly blocked.
Alas Bromley’s achilles heel this season, the propensity to give away early soft goals, was to strike once again. From Barrow’s first genuine opportunity of the game they took the lead, Rob Swaine slipped when trying to deal with a long ball, that had been flicked on by Jordan Williams, allowing Byron Harrison a run through on goal. Harrison still had a lot to do, and with some aplomb calmly rounded a covering Chorley before dinking beyond Alan Julian for the opening goal of the game.
The goal appeared to sap the life out of Bromley and their play over the remainder of the half became increasingly disjointed, however despite Barrow enjoying the lion share of possession they were unable to create clear cut opportunities of their own. Their best opportunity of the half came courtesy of a Jordan Williams free kick that found its way through to Richie Bennett but his effort at the back post was well saved by Julian.
Bromley did manage to fashion two opportunities in the last ten minutes of the half firstly Cunnington did well to head a Joe Anderson corner back across the goal but his effort was headed away from underneath the crossbar. Anderson then saw his speculative free kick from 35 yards out, catch the wind, and deceive Joel Dixon in the Barrow goal but land on top of the goal.
If the first half had witnessed a relatively even affair separated only by an unforced error, Barrow were to rue a second half performance whereby they dominated the game but threw it away with some reckless game management.
Within a minute of the restart Barrow should have extended their lead, Lindon Meikle’s delicious cross into the penalty area was begging to be despatched but Bennett failed to add the finishing touch with the goal at his mercy.
With Bromley unable to string together any threatening play going forward it was perhaps no surprise that their first opportunity of the half came courtesy of an innocuous punt up the pitch. The ball managed to avoid several heads and skip its way through into the penalty area, where a predatory George Porter latched on but his first time effort was well blocked by Dixon. That was to be as good as it got for Bromley until the closing minutes of the game.
In the 65th minute Barrow again spurned another golden opportunity, Harrison’s right wing cross found its way through to Williams, his goal bound effort was poked towards goal by Bennett but Julian did brilliantly to save with his fingertips. A combination of Swaine and Julian then combined to deny Bennett the opportunity to turn in the rebound.
Nick Anderton was next to go close for Barrow, Bromley failed to clear their lines from a Barrow throw-in the ball subsequently fell to Anderton whose shot on the turn from the edge of the area was tipped round the post by Julian.
With the game entering the final five minutes and Bromley looking incapable of finding a way back into the game, a catastrophic error from the Barrow custodian handed Bromley a lifeline. Dixon’s clearance following a Barrow throw-in went straight to Turgott, who expertly floated the ball back into the corner of the unguarded net from 25 yards out.
That Bromley’s equaliser came courtesy of a Barrow error was neither here nor there for the soaked travelling fans who celebrated gleefully in the rain.
Despite sustained pressure from Barrow in the remaining minutes, forcing six corners in quick succession Bromley held out for a valuable point taking them to eight from their opening eight games of the season, an identical return to the similar stage last season.
Barrow: Dixon, Murray, Anderton, Livesey © (Parry 90), Diarra, Meikle (Haworth 70), Harvey, Hughes, Bennett, Harrison, Williams
Subs not used: Hannah, Turnbull, Yates
Bromley: Julian, Howe, Swaine, Chorley, Anderson, Dennis (Martin 35), Max Porter, Prestedge (Turgott 80), Sho-Silva, Cunnington (Pavey 67), George Porter
Subs not used: Johnson, Goldberg
Referee: Mr K Evans
Attendance: 1096 (40 Bromley)