Goal hero targets memorable finale with Carlisle United

The defender’s winner at Barrow AFC kept the Blues’ automatic hopes alive with two games to go.

And a successful finish to 2022/23 would be a welcome finale for a player who has suffered very little luck on the injury front across the campaign.

The Stockport County loan man, who has now made ten league starts for Paul Simpson’s side, said: “It has been a tough year, to be fair, probably the hardest I’ve been through, even with seasons where I’ve not been playing.

“The injuries I’ve had mean I’ve not been out on the grass, then there’s been setbacks, coming back, then more setbacks.

“Since I’ve come back this time it’s been enjoyable. We haven’t won as many games as we would have liked, we’ve drawn quite a few, but I feel like I’ve done ok.

“The first couple of games were about getting my fitness back and I feel like I’m there now.”

Having been unable to face his parent club in Carlisle's previous game, Barclay, 26, returned to the side at Barrow - and his close-range finish in the 15th minute earned three vital points.

Ben Barclay, partially hidden, forces United's decisive goal at Barrow (Image: Richard Parkes)

It teed up a huge home clash with Salford City this weekend when United can secure a play-off place.

They will also be hoping to remain in the automatic hunt come the final day of the season on May 8 when they go to Sutton United.

Barclay said of the win in south Cumbria: “It’s massive. I think we knew we had to win all three games to have any chance of going up automatically, and hope that results go our way.

“We did it in this game and now we’ve just got to do it two more times.”

While Barclay had scored for United in pre-season, Saturday’s effort was his first in competitive action for the Blues.

It came after an Owen Moxon corner was helped on by Kristian Dennis, with Barclay’s persistence paying off at close range.

He added: “I saw the ball come in and I thought at first there was no way it was getting through. Then Denno just belly flopped to the floor, flicked it somehow, and it looped towards the back post.

“Luckily it came to me and I sort of hip thrusted it in, and I’m pretty sure it went over the line, but anyway it came back out and I managed to backheel it in to make sure it was a goal.

“I was telling the lads that I was with my mum and dad [on Friday] and my dad said that I normally manage to get one goal a season, and he told me that it was going to come.”

Barclay felt Carlisle’s win over Pete Wild’s side was a case of getting the job done no matter the quality of performance. 

It was a first competitive goal in a United shirt for Barclay, second left (Image: Richard Parkes)

 “I think we knew first and foremost that we had to run and win our battles, and do all of the dirty stuff – from there you hope the rest of it takes care of itself,” he said.

“I think we could have been cleaner in possession, we were a bit erratic at times, but it was a bit of a derby game and it’s about getting the win. We got that.

“The gaffer always tells us to do everything it takes to win and we wanted to keep a clean sheet again. I thought we defended really well and even the subs who came on put in a shift.”

The shut-out at Holker Street equalled a club record of 20 clean sheets in a league campaign and Barclay said: “I think it’s an amazing achievement. Most seasons if you get 20 clean sheets you’d be unlucky not to go up, so let’s hope we get the bit of luck we’re due over the next two games, we win them, and hope the rest of the results go our way.”

The clash with Salford – where victory would ensure at least a play-off place, and even a draw would make a top-seven finish likely – needs little building up.

Barclay, speaking to United's official channels, admitted: “It’s huge. It’s our last home game, hopefully we’ll get a good crowd again and a performance to go with it.”