In a League Two clash of few chances Barrow earned a point from a 0-0 draw at Oldham.
But they almost lost out late on when Will Sutton saw an effort well saved by Wyll Stanway.
It stretched the Latics winless run to three games but they stayed a point and three places better off than the Bluebirds.
The game took a long time to produce any notable moments and the one real opportunity fell to the hosts.
Stanway had left his goal to try and collect a cross from Reagan Ogle but the ball fell to Luke Hannant on the edge of the area and he couldn’t take advantage of an unguarded net.
The second-half promised more when two minutes in Michael Mellon struck the Barrow post before Joe Quigley’s follow-up was blocked on the line.
Barrow’s best opportunity fell to Rekeem Harper when he got on the end of a corner but from a free header he put it over the bar.
