Ebbsfleet left Barrow with just a point after enduring a 10-hour trip north.

Kick-off was delayed until just after 9pm as Fleet were held up following serious road problems on the M25 and the M6.

Neither team were keen on postponing the crucial relegation scrap due to an already congested end to the season.

Fleet had left Kent at 11am but didn’t arrive at Barrow’s Holker Street Ground until over an hour after the game’s original 7.45pm kick-off time.

Liam Daish’s side desperately needed a win and took the lead in Wednesday night’s game, only to be denied with a Barrow equaliser 14 minutes from time.

The situation had looked promising for the Fleet, who were showing little signs of their epic journey, when they went in at the break leading 1-0 after Phil Walsh had headed in a 39th-minute Gareth Gwillim corner.

But they were denied a crucial second goal by a superb 73rd-minute save by Barrow keeper Danny Hurst from Nathan Elder (pictured), and three minutes later the home side drew level when Adam Boyes converted a Paul Rutherford pass.

Fleet then had to survive the last 12 minutes with 10 players after Elder was sent off for a second yellow card and, although they made the long journey home with a point, it still left Liam Daish’s side 10 points adrift of safety in 23rd place.

Chairman Jessica McQueen tweeted after the match: "No idea how everyone at Barrow feels, but I’m shattered . Could not be more proud. After the past seven days to show such character."