Barrow 2-0 Walsall: Saddlers suffer back-to-back defeats in Cumbria

Barrow took the lead midway into the first half through Aaron Pressley who was initially denied by Tommy Simkin before pouncing on the rebound to score.  

Emile Acquah doubled the Bluebirds' lead in second half stoppage time with a perfectly placed first-time finish into the bottom corner. 

Walsall missed the chance to climb above Bradford City who lost 5-4 at Swindon Town in the early kick-off and sit just one-point above fourth spot.

Leaders Port Vale stretchered their lead over Walsall to four points with a 5-0 win over Bromley, as Walsall extended their dismal winless run to 10 games.

Mat Sadler made a striking six changes from the team which began their costly 3-2 defeat against Port Vale at Bescot last weekend. 

Donervon Daniels was handed his first league start since November and Ellis Harrison led the line alongside Jamille Matt after missing five games with a hamstring injury. 

Tommy Simkin, Connor Barrett, Brandon Comley and Charlie Lakin were also recalled although there was still no place in the squad for Harry Williams. 

Barrow dominated the early possession and had the best chances in the opening exchanges when Connor Mahoney danced past a couple of challenges and blazed his effort over the bar. 

The hosts took a deserved lead in the 22nd-minute when Pressley scored his third goal in two games for the Bluebirds. 

Jackson swung a cross into the box from the right and Simkin initially saved Pressley's effort before the Barrow striker pounced to convert on the rebound. 

Pressley had a golden chance to double his tally and Barrow's lead when he planted a diving header wide from another inviting cross by Jackson.

Connor Barrett produced one of the first moments of quality for Walsall with a rampaging run down the right. He eventually broke into the box but Liam Gordon failed to connect with his low cutback with a poor finish. 

Barrow came close again when Pressley hit the ball on the swivel inside the box from Jackson's corner but Simkin produced a reactive save to beat the ball away.

Harrison had a golden chance to send Walsall in level at the break but was unable to find the target with his header after Gordon floated an inviting delivery to the back post.

Walsall started the second half on the front-foot but they still lacked both precision and quality in the final third. Sadler brought on George Hall, Albert Adomah and Levi Amantchi, but it was Barrow who came closest to a second when Simkin denied Isaac Fletcher one-on-one.

Gordon cut inside from the left with an inspired run but his effort from the edge of the box deflected wide of Wyll Stanway's left-hand post.

David Okagbue and Danny Johnson were thrown into the action for the final quarter-hour but Walsall never looked like scoring an equaliser as they failed to register a single shot on target.

Barrow put the seal on the win during stoppage time when Acquah placed a precise first-time finish into the bottom corner after good work from Newby down the left.

Teams 

Walsall (3-1-4-2): Simkin; McEntee, Daniels, Allen; Comley; Barrett (Okagbue 76), Jellis (Johnson 76), Lakin (for Hall 65), L Gordon; Harrison (Amantchi 55), Matt (Adomah 65).

Unused: Hornby, Stirk.

Barrow (3-5-1-1): Stanway; Foley, Canavan, Cameron; Jackson, Fletcher (Williams 68), Campbell, Gotts (Acquah 86), Newby; Mahoney (Whitfield 78); Pressley.

Unused: Farman, Kouyate, Vassell.

Referee: Stephen Martin 

Attendance: 3,071 (615)