Barrow 0 Carlisle United 1: Ben Barclay's first-half goal was the difference as Carlisle kept their automatic promotion hopes alive at Barrow.

The defender's first goal for the club in the 15th minute saw the Blues complete a league double over fellow Cumbrians Barrow.

It kept United fifth, now a point outside the top three in League Two with two games to go.

And it proved an important result on the road on a day many of their rivals also won.

Carlisle were almost pegged back at the death when home sub Josh Kay hit the post.

But United held on to keep a club record-equalling 20th league clean sheet of the season in front of 640 travelling fans.

Paul Simpson's side remain three points above eighth place as the promotion race enters its dramatic final two weeks - Barrow, meanwhile, seeing their faint play-off hopes finally ended.

Simpson made two changes to his side, recalling Barclay and Ryan Edmondson as Joel Senior dropped out of the squad and Jordan Gibson to the bench.

United started in a 4-3-3 system with Jon Mellish in midfield and Barclay at right-back against a Barrow side featuring four changes, including top scorer Josh Gordon and ex-Carlisle duo Patrick Brough and Tom White.

Barrow forced the first real opening on nine minutes when a quick free-kick sent Ben Whitfield away on the right and his cross found Harrison Neal in space, but he failed to head past Tomas Holy.

Carlisle then struck as Owen Moxon's corner was helped on by Kristian Dennis at the near post and, as Barrow struggled to clear, Barclay pounced from close range.

Barrow looked to hit back with George Ray seeing a shot deflect wide and Josh Gordon unable to make the most of an opportunity, before Ben Whitfield was denied at his near post by Holy.

Carlisle were denied penalty shouts after Jack Armer felt his header was intercepted by a Barrow arm, before JK Gordon put the hosts on the back foot a number of times without hitting the target with shots from the edge of the box.

Edmondson was also denied to the left of the box before Barrow were thwarted with a great chance on 43 minutes as Whitfield was played in by Niall Canavan, the winger finding space with Corey Whelan down hurt, but Armer denying him with a brilliant challenge.

Barrow stepped things up after the break and made much of the running, Brough and White denied on the break and Elliot Newby denied with penalty claims.

Kristian Dennis failed to finish cleanly after a good Callum Guy break for Carlisle, with Moxon denied by a block as things remained finely poised, home boss Wild booked for his protests against one decision.

Robbie Gotts was next to try unsuccessfully for the home side, as a cluster of substitutions was followed by United replacement Omari Patrick beating two defenders on a thrilling break down the left before White got back to intervene.

Patrick was denied by a last-ditch block in added time before, with a final attack, Barrow saw a corner cleared before the next delivery found Kay to the left, but his finish hit the outside of the post as Carlisle held on.

Barrow: Farman, McClelland (Warren 46), Canavan, Brough, Ray, White, Neal, Gotts (G Garner 85), Newby, Whitfield (Kay 78), Josh Gordon. Not used: Lillis, Taylor, Young.

Booked: Josh Gordon, Brough, Wild, Canavan, Farman.

Carlisle: Holy, Barclay, Armer, Huntington, Whelan, Mellish (McCalmont 85), Guy (Devitt 85), Moxon, Edmondson (Patrick 64), JK Gordon (J Garner 70), Dennis (Gibson 70). Not used: Kelly, Robinson.

Goal: Barclay 15.

Booked: Huntington, Devitt.

Ref: James Bell.

Crowd: 4,515 (640 United fans).