Carlisle United 0 Barrow 0: The first all-Cumbrian clash in League Two this season ended goalless at Brunton Park despite big chances at both ends.

Barrow wasted clear-cut openings in the first half through Josh Gordon and ex-United frontman Offrande Zanzala.

And Carlisle then came close to winning it in the closing stages of the second half when Rod McDonald hit the underside of the bar.

Neither side, though, could make the breakthrough in front of Brunton Park's biggest crowd of the season so far, of 7,470, which included 1,629 travelling Barrow fans.

The result was enough to see United move out of the relegation zone, with the Blues now 22nd as the 3pm kick-offs left Scunthorpe and Oldham in the bottom two.

It was, for the large part, typical "derby" stuff with lots of energy and effort but a lack of decisive quality where it mattered.

The result means Carlisle are unbeaten in three under new boss Keith Millen - but without a win in 10 league games now, while they also lost Zach Clough to a first-half concussion injury.

Barrow prolonged a similar unbeaten run in league and cup but have themselves failed to win in six league outings.

United boss Millen was without Joe Riley to a foot injury, while he brought back in a number of players who did not start Tuesday's Papa John's Trophy game at Morecambe.

McDonald, Jack Armer, Callum Guy and Jordan Gibson came into the XI, while Brad Young was handed his third league start in attack.

Barrow's Mark Cooper brought in ex-United loanee Connor Brown at the expense of Remeao Hutton, amid four former Blues in the visiting line-up - Paul Farman, Zanzala and Patrick Brough the others, with Mark Ellis on the bench.

United forced a chance inside 10 seconds when the ball broke for Clough, but keeper Farman was equal to his shot.

At the other end, Gordon saw a shot blocked, before Carlisle's captain Guy rifled a shot close from outside the box.

A largely even first half continued, but it was Barrow who created the better chances.

After Ollie Banks cleared the Waterworks End from the edge of the box, Matty Platt headed a Joe Grayson corner wide.

Gordon then glanced a Brown cross wide from a good position as he found space in the United box.

Clough then went off on the half-hour mark, as fit-again Brennan Dickenson took his place in what United confirmed was a concussion substitution.

And it was Zanzala who was next to waste a great opening for the Bluebirds as he ran onto a long ball which deceived United's defenders, but poked his shot wide from the left of goal.

Dickenson, for Carlisle, saw a tempting cross through the six-yard box unrewarded, while Young couldn't make the most of a chance which resulted from an Armer cross late in a competitive first half.

James Jones beat Mark Howard to a Robbie Gotts free-kick early in the second half, but his header dipped over the United bar.

Zanzala then weaved into the box but the resulting chance saw Brown drive a shot against team-mate Jordan Stevens.

Barrow had started the second half on the front foot but Carlisle responded and a link-up between Dickenson and Abrahams saw Armer slice a shot wide.

Platt headed a corner wide for the visitors in a second half of little final-third quality.

Millen brought on Sam Fishburn and Lewis Alessandra for the last 20 minutes, Cooper introducing Josh Kay and Remeao Hutton.

Dickenson, having moved to the right, fired an ambitious attempt wide from 30 yards in the closing stages.

And United's nearest miss came four minutes from time when defender McDonald hammered a shot against the underside of the bar from the left of goal, the ball bouncing down just in front of the line as Barrow escaped.

The visitors forced a late chance for James Jones, but he missed his kick, while an effort that found the net was pulled back for a Bluebirds infringement in added time.

A last-gasp chance fell to Fishburn in a crowded box but he couldn't get enough power on the shot as Farman saved comfortably as things ended goalless.

It was a third straight clean sheet in all competitions for both sides, but Carlisle have now gone four league games at home without scoring - and seven in their last eight overall in the league.

United: Howard, Mellor, Armer, McDonald, Whelan, Guy, Mellish, Clough (Dickenson 30), Gibson (Charters 85), Abrahams (Fishburn 71), Young (Alessandra 71). Not used: Simons, Devine, Feeney.

Booked: Guy.

Barrow: Farman, J Jones, Platt, Grayson, Brown (Hutton 80), Brough, Banks, Stevens, Gotts, Gordon (Kay 61), Zanzala (James 84). Not used: Lillis, Taylor, Ellis.

Booked: Gordon, Stevens, Brough.

Ref: Martin Coy.

Crowd: 7,470 (1,629 Barrow fans)