Tom Beadling hit an equaliser for Barrow to compound Exeter City’s misery as they missed out on the play-offs.

It was all going to plan for the play-off chasing Grecians after Matt Jay gave them a half-time lead with his 20th goal of the campaign.

Joel Dixon made two vital saves at the start of the second half as battling Barrow clung on in there.

And his heroics were rewarded when Beadling blasted home from a corner to level the game on 56 minutes.

The resolute Bluebirds then saw out the game in impressive fashion to end their first Football League season in 49 years on a high.

It was an ironic quirk of the fixtures after Barrow played out their final Football League game back in 1972 with a 7-1 defeat at St James’ Park.

Rob Kelly made four changes to his starting side with Patrick Brough, Chris Taylor, Neal Eardley and Calvin Andrew being restored to the line-up.

Dixon comfortably held a free-kick from Jay after three minutes, before Beadling headed Robbie Willmott’s cross behind for a corner as the hosts got onto the front foot.

Chris Taylor was inches away from giving Barrow the lead when volleyed just wide on 11 minutes.

Jokull Andresson saved from Scott Quigley a minute later, before he had to tip away a monster goal-kick from Dixon after it caught the wind.

Jake Taylor blazed from a Randell Williams free-kick on 20 minutes. Jay tapped the Grecians ahead from close range after Willmott rolled the ball across the face of goal on 25 minutes.

Kgosi Ntlhe did well to head clear Willmott’s cross a minute later, before Ryan Bowman and Williams just failed to connect with Lewis Page’s cross.

Eardley shot just wide after latching on to a clearance from a Bobby Thomas long throw a minute before the break. Chris Taylor was then narrowly off target with a 22 yard free-kick in the first minute of stoppage time.

Dixon did well to keep out Josh key after he beat Brough and unleashed a shot after 50 minutes. The Barrow shot-stopper then saved Taylor’s volley after Willmott’s cross fell into his path a minute later.

They proved to be vital saves when Beadling smashed home close range after Exeter failed to deal with a corner on 56 minutes.

Dixon saved from Williams a minute later, before Williams had a header saved as the game opened up. Bowman was the latest man to be denied by on-song Dixon after he got on the end of a Williams cross on 72 minutes.

Dmitri Sea had a shot blocked by Pierce Sweeney, before Dixon saved from Ben Seymour after he flicked on a Williams cross.

A Brough cross nearly sneaked in a after deflecting off Jack Sparkes on 79 minutes

Bowman then blazed over from three yards out three minutes later.

Ollie Banks had a shot saved by Andresson before Luke James shot just wide as Barrow came close to stealing the win in stoppage time.