Pete Wild happy with how Barrow’s season is panning out despite stalemate

Pete Wild cannot understand Barrow fans’ frustration at seeing their side play out a second successive home stalemate.

And the Cumbrians boss believed only the lack of a goal failed to deliver the perfect game plan.

Barrow, unbeaten at home in the league this season and with the second meanest defence in the fourth tier, went closest when Dom Telford struck a post in the first half.

The Ammies also survived a frantic second-half free-kick on the edge of their six-yard box after goalkeeper Alex Cairns saved a back pass from Elliot Watt.

Substitute Matty Lund might have won it for the visitors but failed to convert Declan John’s cross.

“I know fans might be frustrated but I don’t know why,” said Wild. “The season is going exactly to plan.

“Let’s have it right, we played a team who will be up there at the end of the season, a team who were a penalty shoot-out from getting to Wembley last season.

“If you had said after 15 games we would have 22 points and still be unbeaten at home and well-placed in the league I would have snapped your hand off.

“We are not one of the big guns in this league, we’ve got to fight for every point.

“So, to be where we are and having a real identity, I’m over the moon.

“They have three big threats in Elliot Watt, Luke Bolton and Matt Smith. We nullified all three of their threats.

“So, did our game plan work? Yes. Did we have lots of domination of the ball and stop them hurting us? Yes.

“And we had opportunities but couldn’t put them away.

“Smith has played in the Championship and is an outstanding striker. But George Ray went to war with him and clearly won.”

Salford manager Neil Wood said: “We always want to win but this is a tough place to come.

“You know it’s going to be a battle, so you are looking for the fine margins to get you over the line.

“We will take the point and another clean sheet which are positives.”

On the free-kick, Wood added: “It was self-inflicted and we have a good habit of doing that.

“We are in total control and playing in good spaces but we just invite pressure and bring a mistake on us when we don’t have to.

“But we will take the positives. We thought it would be settled by fine margins and we just couldn’t quite get it.”