Barrow slipped to a 3-1 defeat at Hartlepool United – a result which was not enough to save the winners from relegation to the National League.
They needed Walsall to win at Crawley to keep them in with a chance of saving themselves but the Saddlers could only draw 0-0 with the strugglers.
It was a hugely disappointing result for Pete Wild, who also saw his Barrow bteam finish the game with eight men.
They had no subs left when Josh Gordon limped off while both Harrison Neal and Patrick Brough were red-carded.
It looked good for the Bluebirds when they went ahead after 21 minutes through Ged Garner when he finished Gordon’s cross but they were pegged back just before half-time when Jack Hamilton levelled.
Bluebirds keeper had initially done well to block Matty Dolan’s shot but Hamilton was quick to react and fire in the rebound.
Full-back Jamie Sterry fired Pool ahead after 68 minutes when his cross into the box was missed by everyone and found its way into the net and in stoppage time Connor Jennings added a third.
By then Barrow had seen Neal sent off for a second yellow card following a late tackle on David Ferguson and to complete Barrow’s misery Brough was shown two yellow cards after a fracas involving a number of players.
Barrow boss Wild along with Hartlepool first-team coach Antony Sweeney were also yellow carded during the incident.
Barrow, with one game to go, are certain to finish ninth which is a good response to last season’s near relegation.
