United were at Barrow for the final group fixture of this season's Papa Johns Trophy.

With the Fleetwood game against Man United's under-21 side not kicking off until 7.45pm it meant that the final reckoning still wouldn't be known when this fixture came to an end.

Mick Kelly, Morgan Feeney, Duncan Idehen, Jayden Harris, Taylor Charters and Nic Bollado (who turned 18 today) were into the starting line-up as the changes from Saturday, with Paul Simpson keen to see his team stay in the competition.

United had a corner with just 41 seconds on the clock as Stretton used pace to cause problems. The ball came off Canavan, and Moxon moved across to take the set piece. That was cleared as far as Whelan, but Idehen recovered it for Harris to use. He fed it to Moxon, but his dipping cross slammed into the side netting.

Keeper Mick Kelly was targeted by a Barrow fan who threw a firework - an actual firework - into the 18-yard area after Kay had driven a shot from distance well wide, with just under three minutes played.

Footage from iFollow showed that it came from the home end directly behind the goal, with the explosion as dangerous as anything seen since the Luton away game in November 2007 when four fireworks were thrown from outside the ground onto the pitch.

Referee Seb Stockbridge moved the players into a safe area as he discussed the safety of the remainder of the night with the police and club officials.

The decision was made to clear the Holker Street End, with 16 minutes now on the clock, and to move the fans on those terraces to the longer section of the stadium in front of the press box.

With the threat of the match being abandoned the game restarted with a goal kick for United on 20 minutes, and Idehen put the ball behind as the hosts attacked. That was sent behind by a header on the stretch from Kenlock.

A huge kick forward was touched on by Moyo and that left Kay in space. He let fly from the edge of the box but it was always going high.

Gibson found Harris on the overlap as United looked to gain a foothold, but the corner was stopped at the front stick.

Striker Jack Stretton went to ground just past the half hour, seemingly with nobody around him, and he needed treatment as he pointed at his ankle. Ryan Edmondson was sent on to replace him.

There was a superb save from Kelly moments later after Waters had bundled his way through with the ball at his feet. His intital shot took a deflection, but Moyo suddenly had the nets at his mercy. He was ready to celebrate until the big stopper stuck out a boot to make the block.

Harris did well to track back as Barrow came again, when Warren dispossessed Charters tight by the byline. He cut it back to Stevens, but he was quickly closed down as he put his laces through it.

The hosts enjoyed the bulk of the possession but they were wasteful, and George Ray summed that up with a poor effort from 30-yards that took off over the stand.

The board for stoppage time went up showing 17 minutes for the delay caused by the firework, and Carlisle threatened when Harris checked his run with Bollado and Edmondson neat with the passing. The midfielder caught it cleanly but it was deflected behind. 

A swirling corner brought a weak punch from Lillis, and it was recycled as Whelan shielded it. Bollado and Harris got it to Moxon, but he was squeezed wide.

It was good stuff from the visitors and Moxon popped a beauty of a free kick into the six-yard box. Feeney challenged, and it came to Whelan, who volleyed past Lillis. He was relieved to see a defender clear it off the line.

A run of three corners followed, and it was often frantic defending as the white shirts came under pressure. But they almost nicked a lead in the 61st minute of first-half play when Kay thundered one from 20-yards. Kelly saw it late but he handled it expertly.

Jon Mellish replaced Corey Whelan at the start of the second period, and that brought a switch as Charters moved into a midfield three. Idehen moved up to play as left wing back, with Mellish and Ellis either side of Feeney at the back.

Barrow had the first chance when Stevens beat his man to cross low. Moyo got a connection, but Kelly ws off his line to smother. It rebounded onto the powerful striker but he watched on in agony as it bounced past the post.

Carlisle responded with a good move of their own as Idehen and Charters combined. Gibson looked up as it was rolled his way but he struck it into the advertising hoardings.

Loose passes in the middle of the park allowed the home side to spring forward, but once again the attacking momentum fizzled out.

A great touch from Stevens saw him pluck a raking pass out of the sky with his toe, and his cross invited Moyo to jump. Feeney got in the way before a decisive touch could be applied.

There was more home pressure when Kenlock turned on the ball to feed it for Kay to cross. Warren arrived late, but he left himself with too much to do and his glanced header went wide.

Barrow were close when Waters strode out of the centre circle with an overload on both sides. Kay asked for it, and he dropped a shoulder before rattling it high. It struck the underside of the bar, and Waters and Moyo were flabbergasted as whipped between them on its way to being cleared by Feeney.

Kelly had to dive low to push a grasscutter from Stevens wide with his fingertips. Kay took the corner, but Ellis got the first connection and the defensive wall remained strong.

The hosts took the lead on 70 minutes when Kay was left with Ellis to beat. He wriggled and shot early, and Kelly could do nothing as it came through his legs and into his bottom corner.

Strength from Bollado took him away from his man and his delivery was headed on the stretch by Canavan. Ellis volleyed when it dropped on his boot, but it was blocked and a home counter-attack was sparked. Ellis recovered the ground to make a shot saving tackle.

But the lead was doubled from the resulting corner when Ray went beyond the far post to head back across the face of goal. Foley steamed through to power his header into the roof of the net.

+++++++

Goals

Barrow - Kay (70), Foley (80)

+++++++

Bookings

Barrow - Neal (45)

Carlisle United - Charters (90)

+++++++

Teams

Barrow - Lillis, Canavan, Waters, Kay, White, Neal (Foley 71), Kenlock, Warren, Moyo (Smales-Braithwaite 90), Ray, Stevens (Whitfield 81). Subs - Moloney, Gordon, Zuk.

Carlisle United - Kelly, Whelan (Mellish 46), Feeney (c), Idehen (Guy 71), Ellis, Gibson, Moxon (Armer 71), Harris, Charters, Stretton (Edmondson 34), Bollado. Subs - Holy (gk), Carr, Nugent.

+++++++

Match officials

Referee - Sebastian Stockbridge
Assistant Referee 1 - Johnathon Bickerdike
Assistant Referee 2 - Billy Smallwood
Fourth Official - Scott Jackson
Observer - Muhammed Matadar

+++++++

Attendance - 2,281 (171)