Barrow’s inability to turn goal-less draws into wins continues to keep them in the League Two danger zone as they were held by Harrogate.
Mark Cooper’s men are still among a clutch of clubs fighting to avoid the drop zone with it increasingly looking as one of them will join Scunthorpe in dropping to the National League.
This was another game that Barrow should have won, twice going close through Robbie Gotts who hit the woodwork and had the visitors hanging on for a long time.
It hadn’t started like that, for in the first half Harrogate were the more likely side to score although, to be fair, chances were few and far between.
Simon Weaver’s side enjoyed the greater share of possession during the opening exchanges.
Top-scorer Ollie Banks had to show his defensive qualities when he got across to block and stop a Harrogate break.
Barrow’s first real threat came from an Anthony Glennon corner but Niall Canavan, arriving beyond the far post, could only steer his shot wide.
Harrogate’s Jack Diamond had been picked out by Cooper as one of the best players in League Two and when he cut in from the right there was danger but on this occasion he fired over the bar.
The opening 45 minutes had been very poor, failing to rouse the 2,974 crowd.
Although the second period was more up-beat it was only in the last quarter that things livened up and Barrow went close.
John Rooney hammered a free kick into the wall from 25 yards and then Gotts was inches away from the opener. He tried his luck from the right edge of the area but saw a well struck shot come back off the foot of the post.
Then Rooney let one go from distance which scraped the upright flashing wide before a stinger from Patrick Broughr was deflected wide for a fruitless corner.
Gotts then was desperately close again. This time his shot looped up over keeper Mark Oxley but again came back off the post.
The last chance of the game fell to Gotts but after a great first touch to create an opportunity the ball took a bobble and his shot flew harmlessly over the bar.
