CREWE ALEXANDRA 1, BARROW 3

Barrow secured a club-record seventh win on the bounce and extended their unbeaten league run to 12 games with a convincing 3-1 victory over Crewe Alexandra on a stormy night at Gresty Road.

A brace from Ben Whitfield and a Ged Garner penalty sealed the points that keep Pete Wild’s side second in the League Two table going into Saturday’s fixtures.

In front of a bumper crowd of over 7,000 thanks to reduced pre-Christmas ticket prices, Barrow started brightly as Whitfield headed narrowly over the crossbar with just two minutes on the clock.

That early scare seemed to spark the home side into action who responded themselves with Mickey Demetriou heading wide from a difficult angle as Alexander enjoyed the majority of the early possession.

On a night when playing football was made increasingly difficult by the blustery conditions, chances were few and far between with neither ’keeper really being forced into action as both sides looked to carve out an opening.

But the breakthrough finally came in the 27th minute when Ben Whitfield latched onto a hanging Worrall cross which held up in the wind before swivelling and lashing the ball past Tom Booth in the Crewe goal.

The home side continued to be repelled by a solid Barrow back line who did well to deal with a barrage of high balls and crosses which made life tricky for ’keeper Paul Farman while, at the other end, Garner came close to adding a second on the stroke of half time.

The Bluebirds began brightly after the break and almost doubled their lead in the 48th minute when Spence was denied by Booth who pushed his 20-yard effort around the post following a swift counter-attack.

Just moments later, though, Barrow were handed a glorious opportunity to make it two when Elliott Nevitt was adjudged to have shoved George Ray to the ground following a corner and Garner calmly slotted home the resulting penalty.

Despite the setback, the home side responded positively and came close through Rio Adebisi who saw his fierce drive pushed away by Farman with nobody on hand to pounce on the rebound.

Alexandra did get themselves back into the game in the 58th minute when an unmarked Elliott Nevitt rose to head home Adebisi’s centre from six yards out with Farman helpless.

That home side went all out for a second with the dangerous Nevitt almost prodding home an equaliser while Barrow continued to look dangerous on the break, with Garner and substitute Robbie Gotts both coming close to restoring the two-goal lead.

And the points were all but secured in the 77th minute when Ben Whitfield stooped to head home a Gott cross for his second and Barrow’s third from 10 yards out.

Barrow are now three points ahead of third-place Wrexham and six behind league leaders Stockport County as the two prepare to meet at Holker Street on Boxing Day.