Barrow had their biggest home league crowd in over 50 years but could not inspire a performance to bring derby success.
Instead the 2-1 victory for Carlisle United virtually sealed their League Two safety but left the Bluebirds still fighting to ward off relegation.
The crowd of 4,658 – 612 of them from Carlisle – was the largest home league attendance since Boxing Day 1969 and it wasn’t the result they wanted or needed.
Barrow’s problem was they didn’t produce a derby-like performance, sadly lacking bite, competitiveness and authority.
Patrick Brough, a former Carlisle player, was often Barrow’s most likely creator of opportunities and he created the first chance only for Josh Gordon to steer a header wide from a super cross.
Carlisle lost their captain Callum Guy on 19 minutes through injury and soon after Gordon had an opportunity, after good work from Robbie Gotts, but saw his shot blocked.
It was Carlisle, though, who took the lead on 32 minutes after they had struggled to clear the ball in their area. The ball sat up nicely for Jordan Gibson who drove a powerful shot across Paul Farman and into the far corner of the net.
It could have been 2-0 on 40 minutes but Brennan Dickenson produced a great bit of skill to set-up a position only to shoot over the bar.
Barrow had their best chance of the half almost on the break when a free kick was nodded down and found its way through to Brough at the far post, but he was denied by a terrific point blank save from Mark Howard.
There was a more positive response from Barrow at the start of the second-half as immediately Matt Platt got on the end of a John Rooney free kick but headed against the bar.
Then a dangerous corner from Anthony Glenon flashed across the goal without anyone able to divert it past Howard.
This was Barrow’s best spell of the game and another excellent delivery from Brough saw Aaron Amadi-Holloway climb highest only to watch a glancing header drop wide of the target.
But typically, having forced the pace, Barrow were undone on 75 minutes by Carlisle’s second.
A ball forward was chased down by Kristian Dennis and he was able to control and fire beyond the reach of Farman.
It was looking all over but at least Barrow did give themselves some hope on 878 minutes when they reduced the arrears.
Howard couldn’t take Rooney’s corner from the left and Ollie Banks lashed the loose ball into the roof of the net.
When Barrow were awarded a free kick 30 yards out Banks let one go and Howard weas fully extended to turn it round the post.
Carlisle were not seriously troubled again and saw it through for their fifth win in six games under Paul Simpson to move 12 points clear of the drop zone.
Barrow have not that luxury and are just six points better off than Oldham in the last relegation place.
