Barrow 1

Southend Utd 2

BARROW suffered a survival hangover as they lost 2-1 to relegated Southend.

Star striker Scott Quigley bagged his 15th goal of the season but John White and young gun Terrell Egbri turned the tables to secure the visitors’ victory at Holker Street.

The Bluebirds secured their Football League status by winning at Forest Green Rovers earlier in the week.

Barrow returned to the fourth tier for the first time since 1972 last term and their fans will get League Two football next season.

And despite beating the Bluebirds, who were huge relegation rivals earlier in the season, Southend’s long stay in the Football League came to a painful end.

Defender Kgosi Nthle squandered a great early chance when he nodded over the bar for the hosts.

Bluebirds’ stopper Joel Dixon parried out Ricky Holmes’ cross-turned-shot before Greg Halford’s attempted overhead kick went over.

Down the other end, top scorer Scott Quigley lashed wide of the target as he tried to make his mark on the game from long range.

Kelly’s charges did well to get in the way of John White’s strike after Holmes’ corner fell kindly for the veteran defender.

Quigley completed a fine counter-attack to put the hosts in front. Shrimpers’ striker Holmes was left covering at centre-back as Quigley took advantage to calmly slot home the opener in the 20th minute.

Phil Brown’s side tried to find an instant equaliser as Holmes volleyed over the bar from the edge of the box.

But White restored parity with a thunderous effort on the half-hour mark.

The 34-year-old unleashed a super strike from Holmes’ corner as his venomous volley nestled in the top corner.

Quigley thought he had doubled his tally on the stroke of half-time only to be pulled back for offside.

The visitors looked most likely to find a second after the break.

Defender Tyler Cordner saw his shot deflected off target.

Egbri put Brown’s boys in front seven minutes after the restart with his first league goal of the season.

Josh Kay was immediately replaced by Patrick Brough and stormed straight down the tunnel whilst throwing his shirt on the floor.

Matt Platt had the first chance to level as Southend stopper Mark Oxley kept out his header.

And Oxley produced an even better stop to keep out the defender from point-blank range later in the half.

Ollie Banks wasted the Bluebirds’ best chance to snatch a point when he blasted over the bar.