Bromley boss Andy Woodman cut a relieved figure after Michael Cheek’s stoppage-time penalty rescued a point in a 1-1 draw at home to Barrow.
A first-half goal from Gerard Garner gave Barrow the lead but Cheek’s seventh of the season ensured Bromley a share of the spoils.
Woodman said: “I thought we were really flat first half, we lacked energy and were second best all over the pitch.
“I thought we showed Barrow too much respect and that’s why I made changes at half-time. Sometimes you have to roll the dice, sometimes it comes off and sometimes it doesn’t.
“Second half I thought we got what we deserved, we upped our energy and guile and were rewarded with the goal at the end.”
Barrow were the first to strike after dominating possession in the opening 20 minutes.
Fine wing play from Katia Kouyate saw him cross for Garner to flick beyond Grant Smith to give the Bluebirds the lead.
Theo Vassell should have doubled their advantage just after the half-hour when a corner landed at his feet but he skied his effort when it seemed easier to hit the target.
Woodman responded with a triple substitution at half-time and it nearly paid dividends inside the first 10 minutes of the second half.
Danny Imray forced a good fingertip save from Barrow keeper Wyll Stanway and from the resultant corner Louis Dennis headed just over the crossbar.
With Barrow happy to play on the counter, Kian Spence saw his shot on the turn tipped over the bar by Smith at point-blank range.
But as the game entered the final 10 minutes, Bromley piled on the pressure and Omar Sowunmi’s back-post header drifted just wide of the post.
An even better chance fell to substitute Cheek as Bromley’s top scorer collected Imray’s cross but Stanway produced a brilliant block to deny him.
However, Cheek was not to be denied as he smashed home a penalty in the first minute of added time after Sowunmi’s header was adjudged to have been handled.
In amongst the protests, Barrow manager Stephen Clemence was sent off for taking his complaints too far.
His assistant Robbie Stockdale was rueful in his post-match reflections.
He said: “It’s frustrating, we’ve had a couple games recently where we concede late on.
“I thought we had complete control of the game in the first half and even in the second we should have killed the game off.
“You know that coming to Bromley they are going to fashion something, we had defended so well but it’s a lesson to be learnt.
“If you don’t kill off a game it can come down to a referee’s interpretation on a key decision.”
