BARROW will be looking to take down another of last season’s play-off contenders when they visit Bootham Crescent tonight.

The Bluebirds picked up their first win of the Blue Square Bet Premier season on Saturday when they beat semi-finalists Rushden & Diamonds 2-0 at Holker Street.

A second-half brace from striker Jason Walker, the first a chip and the second a penalty after he was brought down by the sent-off Jamie Stuart, pushed Barrow up the table and, after defeats in their opening two matches against Histon and Gateshead, Walker is optimistic they can build on the Rushden win.

“When you don’t win your first two games you’re under a bit of pressure,” he said.

“But the manager changed things and it worked. Hopefully if we play like that again against York, we can get a good result.

“We want to kick on from here. “We’ve got three tough games coming up today, Saturday and Monday (York, Wrexham and Darlington), but we know we do well against the top teams so hopefully we can get more points on the board.

“When you score goals as a striker it brings a lot of confidence, so hopefully I’ll go into the York game with a lot of confidence.

“If I hadn’t scored against Rushden it would have been none in three, but now it’s two in three.”

Barrow joint-manager Dave Bayliss, who runs the side in tandem with Darren Sheridan, says there are doubts over the fitness of midfielder Mark Boyd, who went off with a rib injury during the second half on Saturday.

“He’s in a bit of pain,” said Bayliss.

“He’s got a kick to the ribs and there’s stud marks and a bit of bruising, but he seems okay. He’ll be in the squad, but we will assess it.”

Definitely missing for Barrow is the suspended Robin Hulbert and injured strikers Nick Chadwick and Gregg Blundell, but left-back Paul Edwards will be in the side.

The 30-year-old went for a trial at Inverness Caledonian Thistle but is now back at Barrow and started against Rushden. It means Barrow’s FA Trophy-winning defence, which frustrated Stevenage at Wembley, is back in tandem.

About York, Bayliss added: “They’ve had a sticky start, but there’s a few teams that have had a sticky start, us being one, York being two, Rushden being three and Kettering being four, and it’s only a matter of time before it will all fit into place for York. It will be a tough game.

“They are a really good side. They’ve got really good individuals. They are probably stronger than last year, and we will need to be at our best to get something out of the game.”

Barrow from: Martin, Spender, Edwards, Jones, Bolland, Goodfellow, Sheridan, Boyd, Owen, Walker, Rutherford, M Pearson, Forrest, Wiles, Cook, Milne.


Match facts

THIS is the fifth meeting between the clubs in Conference football and in the series York City are unbeaten with one win and three draws.

In the two previous games at York the match in 2008/9 was drawn 1-1 with Richard Brodie on target and in the corresponding fixture last term the striker scored twice in a 3-0 City victory. The other marksman was Michael Gash.

The line-up on April 13, 2010 was: Ingham, Purkiss, McGurk, Graham, Meredith, Lawless, Mackin, Barrett, Carruthers, Brodie (Pacquette), Rankine (Gash).

The Cumbrians made 30 trips in the Football League (1929 to 1970) winning nine times and drawing five.

The biggest of City’s 16 victories were 6-1 in 1933/4 and 5-0 in 1961/2.

Players who have appeared for both clubs include goalkeeper Norman Wharton, in the 1930s, Ian McDonald, Michael Rankine, plus Richard Brodie and Craig Nelthorpe, who had loan spells at Barrow.

It happened on August 24

1955: A 2-1 win at Crewe Alexandra in Division Three North thanks to a goal from Arthur Bottom and an opponent.

1957: City started the last season of regionalised football with a 1-0 win at Hull City watched by 17,761 at Boothferry Park. Billy Hughes was the marksman.

1963: A 3-0 defeat at Bootham Crescent at the hands of Rochdale on the opening day of this Fourth Division campaign watched by 5,446.

1964: Dennis Walker netted two penalties in a 2-2 draw at Hartlepools United in Division Four.

1968: A 1-1 draw at Chesterfield with Andy Provan scoring in his last game for the club prior to his move to Chester. The winger netted 54 goals in 179 senior appearances (1964-68).

1974: The club’s first away game in Division Two (Championship) ended in a 3-1 reverse at Oxford United. Chris Jones, right, was the scorer.

1985: A 4-2 defeat at Bury in the Third (League One) with goals from John MacPhail (penalty) and Keith Walwyn.

1996: Bournemouth won 2-1 at Bootham Crescent and City had started this Second Division (League One) campaign with successive defeats. Nigel Pepper was the scorer in front of 2,804.

2002: City went down 2-1 at Scunthorpe United in Division Three (League Two) with Peter Duffield on target.

2007: A 2-0 home defeat against Forest Green Rovers and City had just one point from the first four Conference fixtures.

Compiled by David Batters