BARROW 2
WALSALL 1

NEW faces Tyrell Warren and Sam McClelland bagged their first Football League goals as Barrow returned to winning ways with a 2-1 win over Walsall.

The Bluebirds’ brilliant fast start, with two goals inside three first-half minutes, ended the Saddlers’ unbeaten start to the season.

Goal machine Danny Johnson bagged his sixth goal of the campaign for Michael Flynn’s visitors, but it proved a mere footnote as Barrow’s impressive start to their League Two season continued with another precious win.

Manager Pete Wild made a solitary change to the side which he labelled as looking “tired” after Saturday’s controversial defeat at Sutton United.

Striker Billy Waters was replaced by Josh Kay as the unbeaten Saddlers travelled to Holker Street.

It was one-way traffic as the Bluebirds flew out of the blocks with the club’s supporters treated to some delightful football at times.

The dynamic 25-year-old had the first real chance of the game as he broke down the left flank and fired his shot inches wide of the top corner.

And the Bluebirds’ brilliant early pressure paid dividends as summer signing Warren opened his account for the club in the ninth minute.

The 23-year-old defender rose highest to head home Patrick Brough’s pin-point corner into the back of the net.

Barrow’s faithful fans had barely had time to digest the opener when their lead was doubled just three minutes later.

Chelsea starlet McClelland made it two as another well-worked corner caught the Saddlers short at the back.

This time it came from the other side, as the Stamford Bridge young gun thundered home a powerful header from Ben Whitfield’s corner.

Shouts for a penalty were turned down as the hosts continued to hammer on the door.

The Bluebirds were unfortunate not to be further ahead before the break as Saddlers’ stopper Owen Evans kept his side in the hunt.

Whitfield almost put the game to bed in the 20th minute when he forced Evans into a great save to keep out his well-hit free-kick.

Evans had to be alert to keep out Josh Gordon’s header after a nicely worked team move.

Influential Whitfield, a former Bournemouth youth talent, was once against frustrated as Evans produced another good low save to keep him out.

Walsall’s half-time team talk worked wonders as they struck mere minutes after the restart.

Johnson got the visitors back into the game as he bundled Tom Knowles’ teasing cross over the line.

Undeterred, Barrow put their foot back on the gas as they looked to restore their two-goal cushion.

But this time it was Gordon’s turn to once again be denied by a super Evans stop as the keeper palmed his close range effort away from danger.

Barrow looked solid as Walsall tried to clinch a point.

But all the hard work was nearly undone only for substitute Timmy Abraham to fire straight at a grateful Paul Farman before Paul Clarke blasted wide right at the very end.