DANNY CROW’S first ever goals for Newport County helped his side to a 3-0 win at Barrow that moved them back to the top of the Blue Square Bet Premier.

Barrow edged the first half but County hit them with a sucker punch when Lee Evans fired home from close range a minute before the break.

Crow then caught Barrow ’keeper Danny Hurst napping and lifted a magnificent chip over him to make it 2-0 before sealing the three points direct from a corner, though he failed to make it a hat trick when he missed a late penalty.

Closure of the M6 due to a fatal accident caused kick-off to be delayed by an hour and 15 minutes with fans and several Barrow players caught up in traffic.

With supporters still filing into the ground, former Stockport man Danny Rowe was allowed to shoot from 20 yards in the sixth minute and was only just wide of the post.

Former Chelsea ’keeper Lenny Pidgeley was called into action five minutes later as Barrow continued to press when he was forced to make a save from Richie Baker’s effort. Just after the quarter-hour mark Adam Boyes turned and forced Pidgeley into action again, the ’keeper spreading himself well.

The home side continued to dominate but after 19 minutes Crow fired in a snapshot effort from just outside the box, though Hurst was well placed to save comfortably.

Just before the half-hour Baker whipped in a corner and Pidgeley made a great reflex save to tip over Boyes’ quickfire effort which looked destined for the top to keep the sides level.

County started to press, though, and Aaron O’Connor was denied what looked to be a certain goal when Hurst managed to block his effort and concede a corner ten minutes before half-time.

But County caught the hosts cold a minute from the interval when the ball fell kindly to Lee Evans, who turned and rifled it into the roof of the net from ten yards.

However, there was a serious injury to Barrow centre-back Tom Anderson, who collided with Gavin Skelton in the build-up to the goal with the player stretchered off and replaced by Sean Hessey. Not long after the restart Boyes should have equalised when the ball came over the top and Ismail Yakubu misjudged the flight to let it bounce, only for Pidgeley to get a touch on it to push it wide.

But County doubled their lead 20 minutes from time when Crow opened his account in fine style with an expert chip from all of 35 yards after spotting the back-pedalling Hurst off his line.

And County wrapped things up with 13 minutes to go when Crow poked in an inswinging corner, sending the 49 fans who made the long trip into raptures.

The visitors could have made their victory even more emphatic when they were awarded a penalty four minutes from time for a foul on substitute Ben Swallow, but Crow blazed it over the bar.

Barrow: Hurst, Anderson (Hessey 45), Aldred, Skelton (Moore 73), M Pearson, Rutherford, Baker, Rowe, Boyes, Jackson (McConville 72), Hunter.

Subs not used: S Pearson, Owen.

Newport County: Pidgeley, James, Yakubu (Hughes 84), Pipe, Porter, Minshull (Swallow 78), Sandell, Evans, Flynn, O’Connor (Louis 71), Crow.

Subs not used: Perry, Harris.