Club record equalled but Mansfield Town denied second place by equaliser in Barrow finale
Promoted Mansfield Town missed their chance to claim runners-up spot in League Two as a 1-1 draw at play-off chasing Barrow left both sets of players disappointed in the season finale at Holker Street this afternoon.
But the Stags did equal the club record for most away goals in a league season, ending with 47 as they did back in 1962/63.
George Maris gave the Stags an ideal start with a 16th minute goal and on the way to a fifth straight win.
But Barrow, who needed to win to secure a place in the EFL play-offs, fought back in vain in an epic second half.
Midfielder Kian Spence equalised on 58 minutes and the Cumbrians looked most likely to take the win.
However, news then filtered through that Wrexham were beating champions Stockport pushing down the Stags into third.
But efforts to find a winner came too late and both sides ran out of time to settle the contest.
Both teams had chances to break the deadlock before Maris fired home his 11th goal of the campaign.
Tom Nichols lofted a shot over keeper Paul Farman but also wide of the target while Spence blazed over for the hosts a minute later.
But Maris provided the breakthrough as Nichols lifted a great ball over a defender for Maris who then chipped the ball over George Ray before burying a great finish.
Former League Two Golden Boot winner Dom Telford scuffed another effort wide for the hosts in what proved an entertaining end of season encounter while Christy Pym’s first telling intervention was to save George Ray’s header before the break.
His next stop was more notable, diving to his right to turn away Spence’s free kick on 49 minutes after interval substitute Ollie Clarke’s foul on Telford.
But there was nothing Pym could do to prevent a deserved home leveller.
Sam Foley raided down Town’s left and his pulled back cross was met by Spence who scored inside the left post from 12 yards.
Pym then kept out a Ben Whitfield effort as the Cumbrians scented a comeback win.
Clough’s response was to take off scorer Maris, Keillor-Dunn and Stephen Quinn after 66 minutes and replace them with James Gale, Aaron Lewis and Callum Johnson.
But despite a frantic end-to-end finale, a second goal wasn’t forthcoming for either team.
However, Stags will be happy to have weathered the second half pressure from a decent Barrow side that were desperate to win the game and Stags can now look forward to an open top bus tour of the town tomorrow to celebrate their promotion to League One.
BARROW: Farman, Chester, Ray (Foley 49), Canavan, Worrall, Spence, Campbell (Proctor 88), Gotts, Newby, Telford (Whitfield 59), Stockton (Acquah 59); substitutes: Lillis, Stephenson.
STAGS: Pym, Akins, Flint, Bowery, McLaughlin (MacDonald 88), Boateng (Clarke 46), Reed, Maris (Johnson 66), Quinn, (Lewis 66) Nichols, Keillor-Dunn (Gale 66); substitutes: Flinders.
REFEREE: Keith Stroud.
ATTENDANCE: 5,668 (980 away).