Town played out a goalless draw away at Barrow at Holker Street as neither side could force their way through their opponents’ defence.
Town’s best chances fell in the first half, though the hosts will feel they could and should have won it late on, hitting the same post three times and missing the afternoon’s best chance with seven minutes remaining.
Simon Weaver named the same starting XI that took three points from Valley Parade on Tuesday night, though there were places on the bench for Alex Pattison and Lewis Richards after recent injury problems.
Town created the first chance of the afternoon in the sixth minute as Josh Falkingham found his central midfield partner George Thomson running through on goal, though he was denied by a well timed sliding challenge. Luke Armstrong got to the loose ball first, but saw his appeals for a penalty waved away under the challenge of a Barrow player.
Lewis Page tried his luck just after the 15-minute mark, clearly confident from his successful free kick at Valley Parade, but couldn’t guide his right footed volley on target.
It wasn’t just Page who couldn’t hit the target, with neither side able to trouble the ‘keeper in a first 45 where Harrogate enjoyed the majority of possession.
Jack Diamond had the last goalmouth action of the half when he cut in from the right and struck one towards goal on his left foot, but the attempt didn’t trouble Paul Farman.
The second half continued in the same fashion as the first, with little action in front of goal, Weaver opting to introduce Brahima Diarra in the 64th minute in the hope of changing that.
The tie finally came to life in the 75th minute when both Robbie Gotts and John Rooney struck the post for Barrow, Gotts initially from a well worked throw in routine then Rooney from an ambitious long range effort.
Town needed Warren Burrell to keep their clean sheet in tact in the 80th minute as the defender headed clear an effort off the line, just minutes before Gotts struck the post again, with the late challenge from Page just about putting off the Harrogate-born Barrow player.
The best chance for either side to claim three points came in the 83rd minute when Gotts raced through on goal, but lofted his finish high over the crossbar as both sides added a point to their tally.
Town: Oxley, Fallowfield. Page, Falkingham (Pattison 78), Smith, Burrell, Thomson, Sheron, Muldoon (Diarra 64), Diamond, Armstrong (Beck 74)
Subs not used: Cracknell, Pattison, Legge, Richards
Booked: Diamond
Barrow: Farman, Brough, Gordon (Harris 74), White, Jones, Gotts, Glennon, Hutton, Canavan, Banks, Rooney
Subs not used: Taylor, Platt, Wakeling, Williams, Nthle
Booked: White
Referee: T Nield
Attendance: 2,974 (91 away)
