21 November 2020

Mark Cooper hails Forest Green for getting him ‘out of jail’ after Barrow draw

21 November 2020

Forest Green boss Mark Cooper praised his players for getting him “out of jail” with a last-gasp 2-2 draw at Barrow

Barrow looked to have secured all three points when goals from Luke James and Dior Angus – the latter coming from the penalty spot – cancelled out Elliott Whitehouse’s header.

But Nicky Cadden’s stoppage-time free-kick earned a point for the visitors at Holker Street.

“I think we were a bit negative at 1-0,” said Cooper.

“I made a change to bring another centre-back on, not to sit back but we conceded too much possession.

“Looking back I would have made a different change so fair play to the lads for getting me out of jail at the end there with that equaliser.

“I think Barrow are a good team, they have a way of playing that can peg you back.

“It was a poor goal for the first goal and a poor decision to bring the lad down.

“We had some glorious chances, I don’t know how it’s 0-0 at half-time.

“When you come to places like this you have to take what you can get.”

Both of Cooper’s side’s goals came from set-pieces and the Rovers manager is delighted hard work on the training ground is paying off when it matters most.

“We’re different this year,” added Cooper.

“We’ve worked really hard on the attacking set-pieces.

“We had some great efforts in the first half where on another day you’re well ahead.”

Barrow boss David Dunn was left frustrated after dropping two points late on – just a week after they clinched a draw with a late leveller.

He said: “It’s frustrating because we find ourselves on 13 points now and we should have at least 20, maybe more.

“I’m sat here and I’m really disappointed that we haven’t got three points.

“I thought we should have had three points no doubts about it.

“We just need to see games out a little bit better than what we’ve done.

“Last week it was the other way where we got the equaliser right at the end and unfortunately it’s happened to us this week.

“It certainly feels like the shoe’s on the other foot.

“The main thing for us is I think the performance was very good.

“We get so many compliments from other people in football on how we play.

“But that doesn’t really count for anything if you’re not picking those wins up.

“I believe we will start winning, we will pick more points up.”

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