Cole Stockton’s fierce finish sees Barrow past Newport

Cole Stockton’s fierce finish was enough for Barrow to keep up their promotion push with a 1-0 win at home to Newport.

The striker fired in the only goal of the game after 20 minutes as the Bluebirds edged a game played out entirely in strong, swirling winds.

Barrow’s Dom Telford had gone closest as the hosts had Newport pinned back for most of the first half, clearing the bar by inches with keeper Nick Townsend off his line. But when Telford later found Stockton in space in the box, he beat Townsend with sheer power for his fifth league goal of the season.

Against the wind in the first half, Newport had struggled to make much of an impression on Paul Farman’s goal but would have been happy to turn around just one goal in arrears.

Stockton should have doubled Barrow’s lead two minutes into the second half, Ben Whitfield picking him out. But the unmarked Stockton got under his header and sent it over the bar.

Newport’s Will Evans almost poached an equaliser moments later but he couldn’t generate the power to beat Farman.

The keeper denied Seb Palmer-Houlden with a vital hand to his well-struck shot and, at the other end, Kian Spence could not make the most of two wonderful chances to seal the win.

Elliot Newby should have scored when Newport’s sub keeper, Johnny Maxted, parried Spence’s shot into his path, Newby somehow finding the side netting.

But Barrow were able to protect their slender lead and see out the win.