Barrow AFC 0 Harrogate Town 1: Ellis Taylor strikes to move Sulphurites to within two points of safety

The Sulphurites winger pounced on an under-hit back pass to score from the narrowest of angles at Holker Street, securing a 1-0 win which leaves Simon Weaver’s side just two points from safety in League Two.

That strike arrived during a first half that saw the visitors produce some decent football, and although the second period was a rather different affair, the Town boss felt that his team deserved to leave Cumbria with the spoils.

“It was a game of two halves, and the second wasn’t pretty, but I thought that is was justified, us winning the game,” Weaver told BBC Radio York.

"I am really pleased, and I am proud of the lads. To a man, they really dug in.

"We were so fluent in the first half, but then we lost Bryn [Morris] to another injury, and we had to win in a different way. But we saw it through.

“That is seven points from nine, so we are delighted with the last three games. No-one is getting ahead of themselves, but it feels like a collective effort and we have got more quality in reserve.”

The game’s decisive moment arrived with just seven minutes on the clock when Barrow’s Jack Thompson attempted to play the ball back to goalkeeper Wyll Stanway from the right-back position.

But, there was not enough on his pass, and Taylor was able to nip in ahead of the home custodian, take the ball around him, then slide the calmest of finishes into an empty net from a tight angle.

"It was a great goal from an acute angle,” Weaver added.

"It was like watching in slow motion, it going over the line, but it was a great finish and well deserved. Ellis was absolutely purring in the first half.”

Barrow did have opportunities to get themselves back in the contest, one of which materialised just before half-time when Josh Gordon escaped the attentions of Liam Gibson to get on the end of a ball over the top.

But, the Bluebirds attacker was thwarted by on-loan Ipswich Town goalkeeper Henry Gray, who raced to the edge of his penalty area and spread himself well.

The hosts came closer still on 58 minutes when Charlie McCann curled a delicious 23-yard free-kick against the cross-bar, with Elliot Newby firing over on the rebound with the goal at his mercy.

Town would however manage to safely negotiate the remainder of the half – and eight minutes of stoppage time – as they held out for a first clean-sheet and first away victory since the end of September.

They remain second from bottom of the League Two standings, but now sit just two points shy of the three teams directly above them in the table.