DARWEN entertained the bottom-of-the-table team from Barrow-in-Furness and sent them home with a 2-0 defeat.

The first significant action of the game was the first goal.

A Darwen corner on the left was swung into the box, where Matt Anderton headed past Stephens in goal.

Five minutes later, a Matt Haworth cross from the left found Jason Jones at the far post, but Stephens in the Holker goal managed to catch his downward header.

Ten minutes before half-time, a clearance from the Darwen half found Reece Rowinski, who had managed to get behind the Holker rearguard. And as Stephens advanced from goal to try and narrow the angle, Rowinski slotted the ball past him.

Jason Jones was involved in a controversial incident two minutes later. He went in high on Daly, catching him in the chest with his studs. The Holker player needed several minutes of treatment, but the Darwen captain only received a yellow card.

Ten minutes into the second half, Holker's Murphy and Morris combined to set up captain Capstick on the edge of the area. He had to hit the volley first time and put it wide.

Shortly after, Hargreaves also managed to get a strike in from a narrow angle for the visitors, but Joe Darwin comfortably blocked the shot.

On 70 minutes, a Darwen corner wasn't properly cleared by the Holker defence. The ball fell to Jones, and his shot on the turn produced an excellent one handed save from Stephens.

The Salmoners came close to increasing their lead at the end.

Holker had pushed upfield and Darwen man-of-the-match Jones latched onto a clearance put over the top.

He drew the defence, and then looped the ball over to Darwen substitute Richmond Botchey, but his chip went wide of the post.