BARROW 2, GILLINGHAM 1

ROBBIE Gotts’ dramatic 94th-minute winner kept Barrow in the hunt for a League Two play-off spot with a brilliant win over Gillingham.

It should have been an easier afternoon at Holker Street for Pete Wild’s Bluebirds, but they needed a late, late Gotts’ wonder strike to keep themselves within five points of the top seven.

Glenn Morris’ early own goal gave the hosts the advantage, but he made amends with a string of fine saves — most notably to keep dangerous top-scorer Josh Gordon at bay.

And when QPR loanee Conor Masterson levelled with eight minutes to go it looked as though Wild’s charges would have to settle for a point.

But Gotts’ first goal of the season snatched a welcome win.

It’s five games without defeat in front of their faithful home fans for Barrow and just one reverse in their last eight outings as AFC have reignited their play-off push at just the right time.

Gordon almost scored the club’s quickest goal of the season inside the first minute.

But the host’s early dominance paid off as they took the lead in the ninth minute.

Unfortunately for Gordon he was denied a 13th goal of the season, and a second in as many games, as his strike hit the back of Gills’ goalie Morris.

It was tough for the visitors, but brilliant for the Bluebirds as Morris did amazingly well to stop Patrick Brough’s shot before Gordon’s effort was cleared off the line into the back of Morris and over the line.

Josh Kay went close to doubling the host’s lead after getting on the end of Paul Farman’s pin-point ball only to be denied by a brilliant Morris save.

And the playmaker was frustrated by the visitors’ number one moments later at the near post as Barrow continued to create chances.

Gordon was denied by the woodwork on the stroke of half-time as he headed Kay’s cross into the post.

Neil Harris’s team talk shot a rocket up the Gills as they came out firing in the second half.

Tom Nichols had the first effort on goal after the restart as his strike went just wide of the mark.

Sam Foley did brilliantly to clear the danger inside his own box to stop the visitors from equalising.

Potent Gordon’s battle with Morris had another instalment and it was the keeper who once again came out on top.

Gordon had a great chance to put the game to bed as Foley found himself inside the box, but Morris pulled off another great save to keep out the striker’s shot.

And the missed chances came back to bite AFC as Masterson, unmarked in the box, nodded home Alex MacDonald’s delicious delivery.

But Gotts snatched victory out of nowhere with his sensational strike four minutes into added time.