BATTLING Lancaster City twice came from behind as Peter Thomson bagged a brace and Jamie Speare saved a penalty to earn a Christmas point at Barrow.

The Dolly Blues survived a Barrow onslaught to leave Holker Street in one piece after a barnstorming afternoon in front of a crowd the word partisan doesn't do justice to.

And City could have claimed all three points - although that would have made things interesting as Barrow's fans displayed a pathological hatred of anything Lancaster.

With the wind whipping across the ground and sporadic monsoon conditions the game was never going to be a classic - but the pace never let up in a rip-roaring festive treat.

City were behind after just seven minutes as Gavin Knight fired home but the goal should never have stood as Graham Anthony clearly handled in the build up.

That was a big blow after Lancaster had dominated - but they got their chance to level after 23 minutes when Ryan Elderton's belligerence was rewarded with a penalty as he was hacked down in the box.

Thomson stepped forward to take the spot kick - and nearly broke the net with his assured finish into the corner.

Cue more excitement. Thomson should have scored with a shot after neat interplay with Steve Jones, while the big striker was only denied another goal by a last-ditch Mark Salmon tackle as City pressed.

But they went behind again on 56 minutes when Salmon barged his way through to head home a Steve Ridley corner.

Maybe a foul could have been given - but City's despair lasted less than 20 seconds as Ian Dawes threaded a neat ball to Thomson virtually from the re-start.

Thomson timed his run to perfection to spring the offside trap and then lived up to his 'Thierry Tommo' nickname as he rounded keeper Adam Capp before drilling home the leveller from a near impossible angle.

Barrow were furious about the lack of a flag - but Thomson was half-a-yard onside when Dawes hit his pass and the lack of protest from last defender Ridley appeared to justify the decision.

Elderton and Neil Prince combined to set up a Thomson header before City were forced onto the back foot in the face of a Barrow battering.

Speare was increasingly busy and saved well from Adam Hill and Knight before his spot kick special.

Andy Scott was penalised for handball and Mike Kewley's kick was hard and low - but Speare pushed the ball onto the post and the defence did the rest.

Still Barrow pressed with the wind at their backs and the crowd roaring them on - but City's defence was gritty and determined.

Knight had the ball in the net and went on a winding celebration run finishing with several summersaults - but he looked rather silly as the flag was up for offside long before he hit his shot.

And then Kewley's afternoon turned even worse when Joe McMahon slid in to make a crucial tackle as he was about to pull the trigger.

But the draw was fair - and sets up a cracking rematch at the Giant Axe on Saturday.

CITY: Speare, Scott, Sparrow, McMahon, Clark, Sullivan (Dawes 52, Moogan 83), Bauress (Black 78), Prince, Elderton, Thomson, Jones. Subs (not used): Uberschar, Miller.

Attendance: 1,371