Barrow manager Stephen Clemence has defended his decision not to have a goalkeeper on the bench during their 1-1 draw with Swindon Town.

The Cumbrians listed six of the allowed seven substitutes for the game against Town due to not having a homegrown player to field in that spot, leaving Clemence with a decision and he opted not to include a recognised goalkeeper on his bench.

Ged Garner had given Barrow the lead, but Paul Farman was sent off after he got a tip on Gavin Kilkenny’s certain goal from the halfway line to send it over the bar with him not even in the same postcode as his area.

This meant that Clemence had to call upon defender Rory Feely to go in goal and whilst Swindon opted not to test him as often as they could, he had them in position to take all three points until Danny Butterworth’s low strike from 38 yards squirmed beyond him in the 98th minute.

Clemence said to PA: “I have done it from a good place. I do it to try and win football matches.

“On average, in League Two in the last few seasons, it’s only been eight times a season where a sub goalie comes on.

“I took that chance. And if you look at the way our substitutes have performed in our league and cup games this season the majority of times they have had an influence.

“Rory can be proud of his performance, he made some good saves and his decision-making was good considering he hasn’t played in goal before.

“Because he had done so well and the crowd was singing his name, he got confident and probably tried to catch it and maybe could have pushed it away. But it happened and we move on.

“I am not devastated at all. At half-time, if you had offered me a point I would probably have taken it.”

Mark Kennedy said that he would have rather not seen the game take the crazy turn it did.

He said: “I said to Marcus [Bignot] at half time, I would have much preferred Gav’s goal went in and it have been 11 v 11 because it ruins the game.

“Huge credit to the lads for their patience, I don’t know whether they were fully aware when the guy got sent off that they had no ‘keeper on the bench.

“I was pleased that we didn’t just start shooting from everywhere and ridiculous angles.”