ALTHOUGH Cherries looked set to fail their first test on the Road to Wembley due to a driving instructor, a learner came to their rescue.

Kevin Bond's charges took a wrong turning when ex-pro Kevin Rapley fired the non-league minnows into a shock 19th-minute lead.

But his strike was cancelled out when L-plater Jem Karacan put Cherries back on the straight and narrow on the stroke of half-time.

Karacan's second goal in the space of five days ensured Cherries headed back along the A590 - known locally as the 30-mile cul-de-sac - with their FA Cup reputation intact.

This arduous stretch of road was the final stage of a gruelling near 340-mile trek for die-hard Cherries supporters, their 18-hour day arguably made worthwhile by the result.

And while those who embarked on the journey deserve medals, the FA official responsible for de-regionalising the early rounds of the FA Cup should be locked up and the key thrown away.

Alternatively, maybe the individual concerned would like to enrol in the Barrow AFC Travel Club and then join Bluebirds fans on their midweek trip to Dean Court for the replay.

In a game low on chances but high in tension, Cherries will probably count themselves the luckier of the two sides to have earned a second bite.

On the day David Lewis travelled to the Royal Courts in London to swear loyalty to the Crown, this was anything but after the Lord Mayor's Show.

With £16,000 in prize money at stake, no quarter was given as the League One aristocrats and the Blue Square North part-timers battled out a typical, if not memorable, cup tie.

Captained by Paul Telfer, an FA Cup finalist with Southampton in 2003, Cherries showed four changes to their starting line-up with Shaun Cooper, Jason Pearce, Brett Pitman and Sam Vokes all drafted in. Injury, unavailability and ineligibility also saw no fewer than five teenagers in the starting line-up with two youth teamers and 43-year-old assistant manager Rob Newman on the bench.

Barrow boss Phil Wilson, meanwhile, had the luxury of selecting from a fully-fit squad, although Colin Archer, who normally turns out for local side Furness Rovers, was called upon to provide goalkeeping cover on the bench.

"My team picked itself," said Cherries boss Bond. "But, nevertheless, you can't bring a team of professionals to Barrow and look to make any excuses."

It was clear from the off that a number of Bond's charges had never experienced the delights of the non-league game, with Darren Sheridan's clumsy late challenge on Jo Kuffour a mere appetiser.

Bond admitted: "It was a bit of a shock for one or two of them. Barrow were totally committed and we needed to reciprocate to get something from the game.

"We were never going to get any time on the ball and it was back to front very quickly. It was a bobbly pitch and they were never going to let us settle."

Although Karacan went close to drawing first blood for Cherries when his wind-assisted 20-yarder whistled over the crossbar after seven minutes, Bond was understandably "disappointed" with his team's tardy start.

Cherries had a let-off when goalkeeper Neil Moss, whose early kicking display had been erratic, beat away Matt Henney's angled drive after the Barrow winger had found space inside the 18-yard box.

A loud penalty claim fell on deaf ears after Lee Woodyatt had appeared to handle Scott Golbourne's shot before Cherries were rocked when Barrow opened the scoring.

Paul Brown's persistence on the left carved out the opening and, after he had fed Rapley, the former Brentford, Notts County, Chester and Colchester striker finished smartly with his left foot from close in.

"It was disappointing to concede," said Cherries goal hero Karacan. "We knew their fans were always going to get behind them if they took the lead. It was a real test of character after that. None of us expected an easy game and so it proved."

As Cherries continued to look uneasy during the early stages, a misunderstanding between Cooper and Josh Gowling saw the two players collide as they jumped for a headed clearance.

Cooper, who later required four stitches to a head wound, played on as blood seeped through a bandage and ended the game looking like Terry Butcher.

As Cherries looked for a quick response, Sam Vokes headed into the arms of Barrow goalkeeper Tim Deasy before Karacan clipped a gilt-edged chance inches wide after bursting into the box.

But the Reading loan star atoned when he levelled on the stroke of half-time, his low shot from the edge of the box creeping into the bottom corner of the net and past the despairing dive of Deasy.

"The missed chance had been playing on my mind," admitted the Turkish under-19 international. "I was determined to take the next chance as soon as it came my way. The ball came to me on the edge of the area and I just whipped it into the bottom corner.

"I'm not known for my goalscoring prowess," added the 18-year-old, who had grabbed his maiden strike in the midweek defeat by Leeds. "So to get a couple in a week is brilliant."

Barrow made a purposeful start to the second half with Brown blazing a volley high over the crossbar after Cherries had failed to clear Henney's dangerous cross.

As defences dominated after the break, chances were few and far between, although Danny Hollands was denied when Deasy got down to his left to clutch the midfielder's low drive in the 66th minute.

Brown's rasping drive flashed past the upright before Cherries survived a spot-kick appeal, with Barrow claiming Rapley's shot had struck the hand of Gowling.

In the closing stages, Henney screwed his shot wide after creating an opening down the right before the same player's glancing header failed to hit the target.

"Thankfully, chances were few and far between," said Bond. "We came under pressure in the first half and I thought we might come under more in the second half, but we coped with it better."