Barrow boss Andy Whing says stalemate with Shrewsbury was ‘horrendous’

Andy Whing pulled no punches with his assessment of Barrow’s “horrendous” 0-0 stalemate with struggling Shrewsbury.

The Shrews’ first point in four games failed to lift Michael Appleton’s side out of the League Two relegation places.

In a contest ruined by Storm Amy, Luca Hoole hit a post, Anthony Scully tested Wyll Stanway with a long-range effort while Tom Sang had a second-half effort blocked by Charlie Raglan.

“It was a really poor game,” said Barrow boss Whing. “They played the conditions, especially in the second half, better than us.

“Ultimately though it was a poor performance and a poor game of football. However, three games ago if you had said we’d get seven points from nine you would have taken it all day.

“But we can’t have too many of those performances. We were off it. There were too many individuals miles off it. But if you can’t win a game don’t lose it.

“We are heading in the right direction but it was an horrendous game of football. The quicker we forget about it the better.”

Shrewsbury certainly deserved what would have been only their second win of the campaign.

And Appleton was definitely the happier of the two managers, saying: “I just felt if anyone was going to win the game it would be us.

“That’s frustrating because it has been happening a few times of late. But it is a clean sheet, a point and we can move forward.

“Barrow struggled to get out of their own half in the first half. The only disappointment for me at half-time was we weren’t one or two goals up. We should have taken advantage.

“We should have made the keeper work a little more but we were too anxious to get the ball in.

“I said to the players at half-time it (the weather) will make us play a bit more. I hoped we would shorten our game, which we did, and made it look a lot easier than it was.

“But I am pleased with how we dealt with the elements in the second half. We passed the ball a lot shorter and we were not in a rush to go forward too soon.”