MANAGER: I hope he gets dealt with

Barrow boss Pete Wild was quick to issue an apology to Paul Simpson and his team on behalf of the home club after a firework was thrown onto the pitch close to keeper Mick Kelly early in the first half, causing real concerns for player safety as it went off when he started to approach it to kick it away.

The Carlisle boss thanked him for the sentiment, but insisted that he shouldn’t feel that he needs to be held responsible for the actions of one stupid individual.

“Pete doesn't need to apologise to me, it’s one absolute clown who thinks it's smart when it's just dangerous,” he said.

“Because of this person’s actions it puts a spotlight on their club and Pete feels he needs to do that. Of course it can now also have repercussions for their club as well.

“We're all aware of fan behaviour and players and managers getting criticised for inciting trouble, but that was just a brainless thing to do.

“I don't get what enjoyment that idiot has got out of that. I really hope, if he has been caught, he gets dealt with in the strongest possible way. I’m quite sure Barrow will do something.”

With the firework scorching the grass as it went off, the United stopper had to cover his face as the force of the pyrotechnic came his way.

“It’s quite scary when something like that happens,” he told us. “It just takes one idiot, as we saw.

“I was going to say someone was getting excited but that's downright stupidity in my opinion. I hope they get dealt with.

“Mick was going to go and pick it up. He did step forward because at first he thought it was a flare. I’ve only ever seen a firework coming onto the pitch once and that was in my first spell here in a youth cup game at Stockport.

“It made me jump. I’m not really fussed about fireworks normally but that made me jump, so I dread to think what it did for Mick. There's just no place for it.”

The Blues had started the game well, but a 17-minute delay saw the performance become disjointed as Barrow edged their way on top.

“I think they were certainly better and they deserved to win,” he commented. “I don’t think the stoppage had any influence on the game whatsoever.

“Yeah, it disrupted it, but saying we started well, that was only for three minutes out of 90-odd. I have to go away and look at how I prepared the players for this, and they have to look at how they prepared themselves.”

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