Barrow 0
Swindon 1

FRUSTRATED Barrow slipped to a devastating 1-0 defeat to play-off rivals Swindon Town on a rain-soaked afternoon at Holker Street.

The ground staff did brilliantly to get the pitch playable after a week of sub-freezing temperatures which caused carnage with the Football League schedule this weekend.

Referee Robert Lewis deemed the playing surface fit following a second pitch inspection at 12.30 — making Holker Street one of just two grounds to beat the frost in League Two.

But gifting Swindon an early penalty, which Louis Reed converted, left the home fans with a bitter taste in their mouth on the terraces.

The Bluebirds started the day in fourth and it was a great chance to close the gap on the top three with only table-topping Leyton Orient in action above them.

But they blew that chance as Reed’s nerveless spot kick separated the two sides.

After conceding the penalty, Farman pulled off a string of fine saves to keep the hosts in the game.

But the Bluebirds failed to make it count down the other end, which will surely annoy boss Pete Wild.

Josh Kay missed out after receiving a six-game ban from the FA due to his sending off against Leyton Orient in September.

The Bluebirds gifted Swindon an early penalty and the visitors dutifully obliged.

Keeper Farman was left with no other choice but to bring down Jacob Wakeling after Tyrell Warren’s poor back pass.

Reed made no mistake from the spot as he fired into the bottom left corner for his first goal of the season.

That moment was pivotal and it gave the Robins something to hold on to.

They dominated possession and had chances to increase their lead.

Farman produced a good save to keep the deficit at just the one when he kept out Wakeling’s thunderbolt from outside the box.

The Bluebirds’ stopper was at it again with an even better stop as he tipped Tyrese Shade’s strike past the post on the half-hour mark.

Pete Wild’s side’s best chance before the break fell to George Ray as he nodded Ben Whitfield’s corner way over the bar.

The Bluebirds started brighter after the break, presumably after some choice words from their manager.

Top scorer Josh Gordon had a shot blocked, before Jordan Stevens went close with a rasping drive.

Former Bluebirds’ defender Remeao Hutton almost came back to haunt his ex club with his first Swindon strike, but Farman’s fantastic save kept him at bay.

Richie Bennett went closest to scraping a late point as his header just went the wrong side of the post.

Patrick Brough could also have nicked a point as his 20-yard strike went wide.

Farman’s best of the lot was when he denied Tomi Adeloye one-on-one when he should have put the game to bed in stoppage time.