A second-half pitch invasion by protesting Oldham fans held up Barrow's 3-0 victory at Boundary Park for three minutes.
Shortly after the hour mark the supporters - angry at Oldham's ownership - ran onto the pitch, with some opting to sit in the centre circle before referee Carl Boyeson waved the players off.
After Junior Luamba had fluffed a terrific chance for Oldham, it was Barrow who broke the deadlock in the 15th minute.
Debutant Jordan Stevens touched the ball to ex-Oldham man Ollie Banks, and he drilled home an angled strike from 22 yards.
Oldham almost levelled on the half-hour when Jamie Bowden's bullet header was superbly saved by Paul Farman.
In first-half stoppage-time Alan Sheehan saw a well-struck free-kick saved again by the diving Farman.
Barrow struck again in the 53rd minute when Offrande Zanzala breezed past two Oldham defenders before slotting coolly past Jayson Leutwiler from close range.
It was four minutes later when Joe Grayson's free-kick from the right beat everyone before flying in at the far post.
After that, and the subsequent pitch invasion, Barrow held onto their lead comfortably.