BARROW 0
ROCHDALE 0

BARROW couldn’t mark the New Year with a return to winning ways as relegation-threatened Rochdale frustrated Pete Wild’s play-off chasers.

Despite freshening up his starting line-up after the post Christmas home defeat by Tranmere, the Bluebirds couldn’t apply a scoring touch to their possession advantage.

The home side created 16 chances to the visitors’ four but managed only two shots on target.

Barrow, who are tenth, have now gone six games without a win since beating Hartlepool 3-1 on November 19, scoring just twice in five winless league outings.

For AFC’s first game of 2023 manager Wild rang the changes, dropping 10-goal top scorer Josh Gordon to the bench and handing a league debut to third choice keeper, Scott Moloney.

The one-time Bury youngster, who played against Manchester United in this season’s Papa John’s Trophy, replaced injured Josh Lillis becoming Barrow’s third keeper in as many games.

Tyrell Warren paid for his poor performance against Tranmere, providing Connor Brown with his first league start under Wild.

There was no debut though for new signing Elliot Newby, returning to the club from Stockport County.

Gordon’s spot went to Richie Bennett and the big striker, on his EFL debut for the Bluebirds, was prominent in the early stages.

A corner after 20 seconds, following a minute’s applause for Pele, saw Barrow open brightly. Ben Whitfield set-up Billy Waters who narrowly fired wide while Bennett went close with a header from Patrick Brough’s left wing cross.

Devante Rodney had the ball in the net for Dale but was flagged offside before Whitfield’s curling shot after 27 minutes was fractions away from a spectacular goal.

Scott Quigley was a peripheral figure until he was booked for a foul on Brown, a decision that clearly angered the former Holker Street favourite.

Quigley’s last goal for the visitors was against Barrow back in October and the Stockport loanee rarely threatened to end his drought.

He did blaze a chance well wide in the second half as both sides struggled to test the respective keepers.

Wild’s response was a double change after 63 minutes with Gordon and Robbie Gotts replacing Jordan Stevens and Harrison Neal.

Gotts quickly made an impact, sending Patrick Brough on his way for a run and shot that finally forced a save out of Richard O’Donnell.

The game finally began to open up and Moloney made a first telling intervention, tipping away Danny Lloyd’s long range free kick after 76 minutes.

Dale also introduced 37-year-old talisman Ian Henderson but Barrow looked most likely to snatch a winner.

May connected with another teasing Brough cross but his finish lacked the quality of the approach.

Barrow continued to press for an elusive winner and Bennett almost caught O’Donnell unawares with a speculative effort.

However, try as they might, Barrow couldn’t find a winner to send the majority of the 3,055 crowd home happy.