Last updated at 17:25, Friday, 24 July 2009

GAME-TIME: Phil Bolland played the full 90 minutes for Barrow AFC against Witton Albion last night JOE RILEY REF: 0494862

Witton Albion 0

Barrow AFC   2

BARROW AFC continued their good pre-season form with a comfortable win at lower-league Witton Albion.

The Bluebirds dominated proceedings from start to finish and the scoreline did not reflect how easy a victory this was.

Triallist Jack Brierley opened the scoring for AFC with only six minutes on the clock.

Paul Dixon providing a pinpoint cross to the near post, only for Brierley’s strike partner – and fellow trialist – Dorryll Proffitt to miscue his shot, the ball falling kindly to Brierley six yards out.

In a flurry of activity around the 20-minute mark, Witton came close to equalising but instead AFC doubled their lead.

Similarly to the first goal, another of the new faces on display, Dean Lodge, provided an excellent finish from the edge of the area to put Barrow two-up, the former QPR man smashing the ball home after good work by Carlos Logan down the left-hand channel.

The home side’s best chance of the half – and the game – arrived just before half-time when Stuart Rudd leapt to meet a cross from Leon Quarless inside the Barrow area, but the striker could only balloon his header over the bar.

After the re-start Albion started brightly, forcing Barrow keeper Neil Postlethwaite into action, but never really troubling the Dalton shot-stopper. The Bluebirds made five substitutions at the start of the second half, including the introduction of midfield general Andy Bond who could, and should, have put AFC 3-0 in front.

Proffitt broke free inside the opposition’s area and was brought down – albeit slightly dramatically – by advancing keeper Greg Smith. Bond took the resulting spot-kick but his tame effort was well saved by Smith.

Just before the end of the game the increasingly impressive Proffitt got the chance to open his legs after he latched onto a poor back pass from the home side.

After surging past the last man, the unorthodox forward smashed the ball goalwards, beating the keeper, but not the woodwork.

After the game AFC co-chief Dave Bayliss said: “It was important to get fitness in and we’ve done that, we competed really well tonight.

“No-one was injured that was the main thing.

“We’re a bit light on strikers so Dorryll had to play up front and I thought he started to look more and more like a forward as the game went on.”

On the Jason Walker situation, with the striker on trial at Championship Doncaster, he added: “I spoke to Jason today and he’s doing really well.

“I want the lad to do well, but we miss him when he doesn’t play. If he comes back then that’s great, but if he signs for them then good luck to him.”

Earlier this week the AFC boss revealed the club are in talks with a new striker who is currently trialling with a rival Blue Square Premier club.

“We’ve offered him something he’s just got to get back to us,” added Bayliss. “There will be other players coming in, we’re not too far away from where we want to be.”

Witton Albion: Greg Smith, Dylan Adam, Lee Neville, Brian Pritchard, Callum Hogan, Steve Brodie Steve Hall, 45), Andy Hadzik, Dave Neville, Mike Moseley (Brad Maylett 45), Stuart Rudd, Leon Quarless

Barrow AFC: Neil Postlethwaite, Simon Spender, Shaun Newton, Adam Dugdale, Phil Bolland, Robin Hulbert, Dean Lodge, Paul Dixon, Dorryll Proffitt, Jack Brierley, Carlos Logan.
Half-time Substitutes: Paul Jones (for Dugdale), Paul Rutherford (for Logan), Andy Bond (for Dixon), Mark Boyd (for Hulbert), Phil Morris (for Newton), Danny Thomas (for Spender).

Goals: Brierley (6), Lodge (20). 

Man-of-the-match: Dean Lodge – The winger really impressed in the first half, showing tremendous pace as well as a good finish for the Bluebirds’ second goal. He was switched to left flank for second half and showed his versatility.

First published at 13:10, Friday, 24 July 2009
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk