York City 3 Barrow 0: Brodie in at the double to send York climbing
The victory saw York jump to fourth in the table with rivals Rushden & Diamonds losing at Mansfield.
York, who bought in Neil Barrett in place of Paul Harsley in midfield following their disappointing defeat at Eastbourne, went close in the seventh minute when David McGurk had a shot blocked, while Paul Jones headed wide and Carlos Logan shot over the bar in an even opening 45 minutes.
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Hide AdYork went ahead after 40 minutes when Chris Carruthers sent over a cross from the right for Richard Brodie to head home.
After the break, Carruthers went down under a challenge from Paul Rutherford near the touchline which led to both teams descending on the incident as did officials and substitutes from both dugouts.
York's Levi Mackin, James Meredith and Michael Rankine were cautioned, while Rutherford and Robin Hulbert were shown a yellow card for Barrow.
York went further ahead on 77 minutes when Brodie. headed home a Lawless corner. Substitute Michael Gash grabbed York's third with five minutes left.
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Hide AdYork City: Ingham; Purkiss, McGurk, Graham, Meredith; Lawless, Barrett, Mackin, Carruthers; Brodie (Pacquette 80), Rankine (Gash 80). Unused Substitutes: Parslow, Pitt, Harsley.
Barrow: Deasy; Spender (Wiles 74), Jones, Bolland, Pearson; Logan, Bond, Hulbert, Rutherford; Chadwick (Walker 65), Blundell. Unused substitutes: Boyd, McEvilly, Tomlinson.
Referee: S Duncan (Newcastle).