It was a disappointing afternoon at Prenton Park as Tranmere Rovers fell 3–1 to Barrow AFC. The visitors arrived in Birkenhead on a nine-game winless streak but managed to blow the match open with a clinical first-half performance, leaving the Rovers with too much ground to make up in the second period despite a late man advantage.
Match recap
Barrow took control of the game early, scoring three times in the first 32 minutes to stun the home supporters. Ben Jackson opened the scoring in the 8th minute, followed by a header from Charlie Raglan in the 18th minute after a corner. Isaac Fletcher then made it 3–0 just after the half-hour mark, pouncing on a rebound. Tranmere struggled to find any rhythm in the opening 45 minutes, looking second-best in nearly every duel.
The Rovers showed more life after the interval and pulled a goal back in the 50th minute through Patrick Brough. The complexion of the game shifted further in the 63rd minute when Barrow captain Niall Canavan was sent off for a second bookable offense. Despite playing the final half-hour with a man advantage and peppering the Barrow goal with late attempts, Tranmere was unable to find the net again, suffering a costly home defeat to end the year.
Ethan Bristow’s performance
Ethan Bristow began the match on the bench but was called into action early in the second half as manager Andy Crosby looked to exploit the wings and mount a comeback.
- Impact substitute: Bristow entered the match in the 57th minute, replacing goal-scorer Patrick Brough. He immediately provided fresh energy on the left flank, pushing high up the pitch to join the attack as Tranmere looked to capitalize on their man advantage.
- Attacking threat: The former Loon was aggressive in the final third, having two separate goal-bound efforts blocked by a crowded Barrow defense in the 62nd and 87th minutes.
- Creative involvement: In the dying moments of stoppage time, Bristow nearly provided an assist for a second goal, delivering a perfectly weighted headed pass into the path of Josh Davison, whose shot was expertly saved.
- Defensive discipline: After picking up an early yellow card in the previous match against Fleetwood, Bristow played a much cleaner game today. He was effective in winning his duels and avoided any disciplinary trouble, allowing him to stay focused on the offensive push.
Stats
- Minutes played: 33
- Clearances: 2
- Chances created: 1
- Duels won: 3
- Overall rating: 6.9
With the holiday fixtures concluding, Bristow and Tranmere now look to start 2026 on a high note when they travel to Harrogate Town on New Year’s Day.
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