U's take all three points
Cambridge United ended their home campaign with a victory, beating Barrow AFC 2-1 to relegate the visitors.United opened the scoring in the first half when a fine run from Tom Elliott saw the striker tee up Sam Smith for his first goal at the R Costings Abbey Stadium.
Elliott was a thorn in the side of the visiting defence throughout, and scored an excellent second when he controlled an Andy Pugh cross with his back to goal, turned and shot home on the stroke of half-time.
Barrow halved the deficit inside a minute when Rutherford went to ground in the box under challenge from Roberts, and referee Bull awarded a very soft penalty. Ritchie Baker converted, but in the second half the visitors couldn’t find a way past Nick Pope, and United ran out winners.
More to follow.
16.53: That's full-time, United's two first half goals enough to see them take victory, a result which sees Barrow relegated to the Conference North
16.43: Skelton's cross from the left isn't cleared and DL Rowe pokes a shot wide. That's his last contribution, as McConville is on in his place, while for United Tom Shaw is being withdrawn, with Rory McAuley coming on for the last six minutes.
16.35: Dunk, who has moved over to the right, embarks on a superb direct run but sees his cross smuggled behind at the near post for a corner. Before it's taken Rutherford will come off, Dawson his replacement. In comes the corner eventually from Shaw, it takes a flick and reaches Pugh at the back stick, but his shot is smothered by Hurst.
16.29: Pugh stopped illegally by Skelton, free kick to the U's wide right. Dunk will take left-footed, it's punched away by Hurst and Shaw slashes a first time shot wide from 18 yards.
16.25: YELLOW CARD. Flynn in the book for a foul on Dunk, which was probably retribution for HD making an absolute mug of him a few moments ago, going past him with ease and whipping in a cross which didn't quite reach Smith. First changes for both sides, Luke Berry on for Smith for the U's, with Rowe II replacing Harvey for Barrow.
16.20: Rowe makes some space on the edge of the box and gets a low shot in, which Pope gets down to and parries round the post. Corner comes into the six yard box but Wassmer gets a head on it and clears.
16.10: YELLOW CARD. Baker in the book for a foul on Pugh as the rain starts to pour down here.
16.09: Today's attendance 2,758 (away 108).
16.04: Back underway at the R Costings Abbey Stadium, and Elliott, who has caused Barrow a whole host of problems, goes down under challenge from O'Donnell in the box. The ref isn't interested in awarding a second penalty though.
HALF TIME: CAMBRIDGE UNITED 2-1 BARROW AFC
15.47: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 2-1 BARROW AFC. Penalty Barrow, as Rutherford goes sprawling under challenge from Roberts. Not too many complaints from the U's players, though the crowd aren't happy at all. Anyway, RITCHIE BAKER steps up, and though Pope goes the right way the penalty is right in the bottom corner. Barrow have a life-line, and the half-time whistle goes seconds later.
15.46: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 2-0 BARROW AFC. On the stroke of half-time United double their lead thanks to TOM ELLIOTT. Coulson chips the ball in to Pugh wide on the right, who digs out a cross that reaches Elliott with back to goal. Quick as a flash he controls, turns and hooks a shot into the bottom corner via the foot of the post.
15.37: Jarvis with a pass wide to Haynes-Brown, who strides forward but sees his shot deflect away off a defender for a corner, United's first. Shaw takes, and will get another goal as his first attempt is headed straight behind by a defender. Hurst comes and doesn't gather the second corner; Pugh hooks it goalwards but it's headed clear to Roberts, who strikes low through a crowd but a couple of feet wide of the post.
15.31: Good touch from Smith takes him away from Skelton, but Elliott can't quite get a shot off as he receives the goal-scorer's low cross.
15.27: GOAL CAMBRIDGE UNITED 1-0 BARROW AFC. United lead after a lightening quick break from a Barrow corner. After the flag kick is cleared Tom Elliott picks the ball up near half-way on the right. United's top scorer runs infield unchallenged, and from just outside the box slips a pass through for SAM SMITH, who finishes neatly with a first time shot that beats Hurst at his near post.
15.22: Great stuff from Smith to win the ball and free Dunk, whose looping cross reaches Pugh at the far post, but he can't get sufficient power in his header to trouble Hurst.
15.16: Barrow's first corner as Roberts does well to block Rowe off. But the set piece isn't the best and CHB heads clear.
15.14: Good play from Elliott, holding the ball up and finding Pugh, who cuts in from the right and gets a left-footed shot on target which is unfortunately straight at Hurst.
15.09: United make good progress down their right, but Roberts' inswinging cross is just too high for Elliott and fizzes over his head and out for a goal kick.
15.07: Rossi Jarvis' crossfield pass is cut out by Rutherford who advances into the box and squeezes the ball through to Boyes. He evades a lunging challenge from Coulson and smashes a shot from a narrow angle which beats Pope but hits the face of the bar and canons away to safety. Good chance for the visitors.
15.03: Very windy here, which is probably why Barrow chose to attack the South Stand in the first half, they have the breeze at their backs. Neither team has had much good possession so far.
15.01: United will attack the NRE in the first half, the teams have changed ends. As expected, Dunk is at left-back and CHB in midfield as Shaw and Jarvis get us underway.
14.57: The teams are out. Last season United won this fixture 1-0 thanks to some atrocious Barrow finishing and a late strike from Andy Pugh.
Cambridge United: Pope, Roberts, Dunk, Coulson, Wassmer, Pugh, Haynes-Brown, Jarvis, Shaw, Smith, Elliott. Subs: McAuley, Berry, Gorman, Ross, Hurst.
Barrow AFC. Hurst, Flynn, Owen, Pearson, O'Donnell, Rutherford, Baker, Harvey, Skelton, Boyes, Rowe. Dawson, Hunter, Rowe, McConville, Tongue.
14.35: TEAM NEWS. United make two changes, with Curtis Haynes-Brown and Andy Pugh coming into the side at the expense of Liam Hughes, who is ill, and Rory McAuley, who drops to the bench. The suggestion is that Harrison Dunk will play at left-back, with Haynes-Brown on the left side of midfield.
No ex-U's in the Barrow line-up, though annoyingly the Bluebirds have acquired both the Danny Rowes who were at Stockport last season. Midfielder Danny M Rowe is on the bench, let's hope he stays there.
14.30: Good afternoon and welcome to the R Costings Abbey Stadium for this afternoon's Blue Square Bet Premier clash between Cambridge United and Barrow AFC. United's last home game of the season sees them take on the relegation-threatened Bluebirds, and head coach Richard Money wants to make sure his side can end the season on a high with three points.