Town will be hoping for a quick reaction to their exit from the Carabao Cup when Barrow are the visitors to The Envirovent Stadium on Saturday.
Despite defeat in the cup they will look to a strong performance a week ago when Morecambe were defeated 2-0.
Our opponents
Barrow ended the 2022/23 season in ninth position, with their 62 points a creditable return and at time during the campaign they did look set to mount a challenge to the playoff positions.
Although they lost last season’s top scorer Josh Gordon in the summer to League One side Burton Albion as well as Billy Waters to Wrexham they bolstered their squad by adding the likes of Kian Spence, Emile Acquah, Courtney Duffus, David Worrall and Dom Telford.
The Bluebirds come into the game in ninth place, having taken eight points from their five games so far. On the road they have won one, drawn one and lost one so far, including a 1-0 defeat at Stockport last time out.
Previous meetings
Town were defeated 1-0 in the game at Holker Street last season thanks to Josh Gordon’s strike on the stroke of half-time but won by the same scoreline in the return fixture through a Matty Daly goal with fifteen minutes remaining
This continued Town’s 100% record at The Envirovent Stadium against the Bluebirds. In 2021/22 they came from behind to earn a 2-1 win thanks to a pair of second half goals from Alex Pattison and in 2020/21 won 1-0 with Jack Muldoon scoring in the first ever EFL game played at The Envirovent Stadium.
The man in charge
Pete Wild is now in his second season in charge at Barrow.
After a couple of caretakes spells in charge at boyhood club Oldham Athletic, Wild took over permanently in March 2019. However, his time in charge was short-lived and he left the club after just nine games.
He later took charge at FC Halifax Town where he spent three seasons in charge, including guiding them to the playoffs before stepping back into the league.
Ones to watch
Emile Acquah has begun the season in fine form, notching three times so far since his arrival from Maidenhead.
Kian Spence, another recent acquisition, has two assists from midfield as does Irishman Sam Foley. David Worrall brings plenty of experience from his time at Port Vale.
Niall Canavan is again a fixture in the heart of the defence alongside George Ray with veteran Paul Farman between the sticks.
History
Having been a member of the Football League for half a century Barrow failed to earn re-election following the 1971/72 season, spending the years in between in the top two levels of non-league football before promotion at the end of the 2019/20 season.
During this time, the club lifted the FA Trophy in 1990 and 2010, becoming the only side to win the trophy at both the old and new Wembley Stadium.
The 2020/21 season was their first back in the Football League for 50 years.
Team news
Simon Weaver will make a late check on the likes of Josh Falkingham and Joe Mattock who missed the midweek game against Blackburn due to injury.
