Michael Flynn pleased with battling Walsall

The Saddlers were poor in the first half at Holker Street and conceded before the break as John Rooney coolly curled the ball home from the edge of the box.

Flynn's lot, though, responded after the interval in Cumbria as Donervon Daniels headed home for a point.

It was their second successive 1-1 after also sharing the spoils at Northampton Town, and the Welshman said: "It was probably a game of two halves again.

"The wind was a lot worse than I thought. The pitch is bobbly, so we couldn't play as much as we wanted.

"But we dug in and it only looked like one team was going to win it in the end.

"It was tough to get going. Barrow pressed well – you've got to give them credit.

"We just played into their hands a little bit, though, so that was a frustrating thing.

"With their goal, we were a little bit slow getting out to it. It was a good finish, but it shouldn't have come to that.

"It's my fourth away game out of five. We've had a lot of travelling.

"This is a tough place to come, and if you had asked me before the game if I'd have taken a point, I probably would have, if I'm being straight.

"Barrow are a lot better than their league position. They've got some good, experienced players. So, it's a good end to a tough week."

Walsall, on 40 points, are now nine clear of the relegation zone in League Two.

Flynn reverted a 4-3-1-2 system as Lee Tomlin made his first start for the Saddlers – eventually lasting for 84 minutes in his first league start since October 2020.

"I would have taken a draw before the game – but that doesn't mean I'm not going for a win," said Flynn.

"We wanted to get Lee Tomlin on the pitch and improve his match sharpness, and we wanted to win the game."

Tomlin, though, could have seen red after just 20 minutes after kicking out at Barrow skipper Ollie Banks.

The 33-year-old was eventually handed a booking, and Flynn felt that was the right call as he added: "I thought Banks was trying to wind him up – I know exactly what Ollie is like.

"There was a lot of play acting. The legs tangle, but the fourth official's description of it was probably the best description I've had from a fourth official in my managerial career, so I've got to give him credit on that.

"He just said that it wasn't enough to warrant a red card.

"I couldn't argue with that as I thought exactly the same thing."