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Barrow FA Cup preview

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Barrow FA Cup preview

Postby Sweden Stag » Wed Nov 02, 2022 7:18 pm

For the third time this year, the Stags will travel to Holker Street, the headquarters of Barrow AFC. On the two previous League Two trips, one in January and one a few weeks ago, the Stags returned home with all three points.

Now, it is in the first round of the classic FA Cup,

And the furthest Barrow ever have reached in the FA Cup is the third round. From one such fixture is the all-time attendance record at Holker Street. On January 9, 1954, then Second Division Swansea travelled to Holker Street and managed a replay, gate was 16874. Some current and former PL sides have also visited Barrow in the FA Cup over the years. Wolves in 1959, Southampton in 1967 (needing a replay at The Dell to progress) and Leicester in 1968.

Up to the 2010-11 season, Barrow reached the first round or further for four seasons running. In 2006-07, Bristol Rovers (who also faced Barrow in all their Third Division campaigns) only just went through in front of TV cameras. And in 2007-08, Bournemouth were in trouble big style in a replay, being only seconds from crashing out. The Cherries needed penalties to dispose of a brave Barrow side whose supporters were good value for their long trip to the South Coast in midweek! In 2016-17, Barrow got their revenge over Bristol Rovers at their place.
Paul Cox, who managed the Stags in their EFL return season in 2012-13 and also oversaw an epic FA Cup home tie against Liverpool in front of the TV cameras, managed Barrow a few seasons later and he masterminded a 2-1 victory at Bristol Rovers in the second round. The reward for the Bluebirds then was a home tie against Rochdale. Even though it was “only” a then League One side which had to travel to Barrow, the game was a Holker Street sell-out with Barrow losing just 2-0.

At the time of the 2007-08 Bournemouth games, Barrow in their League were much closer to the drop zone than the playoff one. After the FA Cup adventure, Barrow played some twenty games unbeaten in Blue Square North, winning sixteen, thus sneaking into the playoff zone along with former league opponents Southport. But by beating Stalybridge in the final, Barrow were back in the non-league upper house again.

A couple of seasons later, Barrow even managed the third round after disposing of the 2008-09 League Two champions and current PL side, Brentford, at Holker Street. The reward was a plum tie at then PL outfit Middlesbrough, and lost only 2-1 in front of 7000 travelling supporters to the same Boro which beat the Stags 2-0 in the fourth round the previous campaign at Field Mill in front of millions of TV viewers. In 2009-10, the Bluebirds reached the third round again, beaten at Sunderland as well as winning the FA Trophy, beating Stevenage in the Final.

On two previous occasions, the Stags have faced Barrow in the FA Cup. Both times at Holker Street, and both times with the Stags going through. The first occasion was as early as in the 1928-29 season, three seasons before the Stags’ election to the League. This in the second round on December 8, 1928. Then, a brace from Morris secured a 2-1 victory and the Stags’ first-ever disposal of League opponents as Barrow then played in the old northern section of the third tier. More giant-killing from the Stags was to come in the third round as they on January 12, 1929, travelled to Molineux and there slayed Wolverhampton thanks to a strike from McLachlan.

Eight years later, the Stags and Barrow played together in the northern section of the third tier. In the 1936-37 season, the Stags were drawn away to Barrow, but in the first round. It was the Ted Harston season. He showed why by netting three times in a 4-0 rout on November 28, 1936. Fourth scorer was Anderson. But in the second round, division 3 (S) Bournemouth proved too strong at Field Mill and went through thanks to a 2-0 scoreline.

The furthest the Stags have reached in the FA Cup are the quarter-finals in 1968-69 after beating sides like Sheffield United (in the third round) and West Ham (in the fifth round).

In League competitions, the Stags have now visited Barrow on 30 occasions. For more details on those games, see the preview of the latest Barrow v Stags clash published on Stagsnet a few weeks ago.

Elsewhere, there are some mouth-watering first round clashes. One such is Hereford against Portsmouth at Edgar Street, a classic giant-killing venue, on Friday night. Others include Burton v Needham Market, Charlton v Coalville and Chippenham v Lincoln to name a few. A handful sides outside the EFL are guaranteed to reach the second round due to the first round draw. Meanwhile, a few sides who in recent years reached the third round or further, are already out, being Chorley, Marine, Kidderminster as well as eternal giant-killers Yeovil, Altrincham and Blyth Spartans. Another plum tie is the one at Plainmoor between Torquay and Derby County.

Stats on previous FA Cup games:

FA Cup:

1928-29 2-1 1928-12-08 Round 2 at Barrow
1936-37 4-0 1936-11-28 Round 1 at Barrow (Harston hat-trick)

Expect a tight FA CUP game on Saturday. Come on Mansfield!
Stockholm, July 4, 2008, 15.00 GMT. Good news came, K.H. gone. March 1, 2012. Ground purchased.
Sweden Stag
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