24 September 2021

Mark Cooper urges fans to stick with Barrow as ‘process’ pays dividends

24 September 2021

Barrow boss Mark Cooper urged the supporters to trust the process after a fine 2-1 comeback win against Newport.

It was a game of two halves at Holker Street as Finn Azaz put the visitors ahead after just 10 minutes, following an error by Barrow keeper Paul Farman, but superb second-half strikes from Josh Kay and Josh Gordon got the Bluebirds back to winning ways.

“It was important that we got three points,” stressed Cooper.

“It seems as though it was hard work to get the three points at one point.

“Obviously the goal early on was difficult for us. It zapped a bit of our energy which I understand.

“The fans were a bit apprehensive and I understand that.

“The way I want to play, those mistakes will happen and that’s down to me. I asked my goalkeeper to do that – obviously not pass it to them, but I ask him to take risks.

“What happens in the second half is a by-product of that. You have a lot of the ball that you can dominate an opposition and pen a really good team in for long periods of time.

“You can only beat what’s in front of you and we’ve beat a really good team tonight. It was a fine second-half performance. We played some fantastic football.

“If you’re going to try and play with the ball then you’re going to make mistakes, that’s part of the process.”

Cooper’s charges moved into eighth place ahead of Saturday’s League Two games.

But it was a disappointing defeat for the Exiles, their third in succession away from home, and they faced a long trip home after squandering a lead.

It made it three trips on the road without a win for Michael Flynn’s side and he said: “It’s frustrating. It’s a disappointing result after being ahead in the game.

“We had some players missing through injury and what-not but that’s no excuse.

“We went ahead early and had something to defend. We did that well for about an hour but unfortunately two moments of quality have decided the game in the end and fair play to them.

“It’s difficult for us to take and if I’m honest we maybe should have put the game to bed. We had some good chances, tested their keeper and if you get that second goal you go on to win the game.

“We’ve come a long way and to go home with nothing is disappointing. I thought we did enough in the game at times to get all three points.”

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