Last updated at 13:01, Saturday, 17 November 2012

DEFENDER Tom Aldred will play his last home game for Barrow AFC against Forest Green Rovers on Saturday.

Tom Aldred is set to play his final home game for Barrow AFC, against Forest Green Rovers

The 22-year-old centre-half’s loan stay from Colchester United is set to end on November 26, following next weekend’s FA Trophy first round tie at Hyde.

Bluebirds manager Dave Bayliss says Aldred’s loan deal cannot be extended any further and a replacement will be sought.

The former Carlisle United and Watford defender has played 11 times for Barrow during his three months at Holker Street and started the last two games alongside Mike Pearson at the heart of the back four.

Bayliss said: “It (November 26) will be the end of Tom’s maximum three months (under the short loan rules), so he will be going back (to League One outfit Colchester).

“We are working very hard to bring another centre-half in for around the time when Tom goes back.”

Bayliss, whose relegation-battling side arrested a winless four-game run with a last-gasp 1-0 victory over Guiseley in their FA Cup first round replay on Tuesday, has a squad of 17 players to pick from for tomorrow’s visit of Blue Square Bet Premier title contenders Forest Green Rovers.

The Bluebirds boss could name an unchanged starting XI for the third-bottom versus third-top clash, which would again mean only a place on the bench for winger Paul Rutherford.

The 25-year-old had started every game this season until Tuesday night when he was named among on the substitutes.

Bayliss said: “To be fair, Ruthers came up to me and said: ‘I’m not playing am I?’

“His last couple of performances were a little bit off the standard we expect from him. To be honest, the bit of stick he’s taken from some supporters over on that side of the ground (the Popular Side) really affected him against Lincoln City last Saturday and I really felt for the lad.

“He’s our second longest serving player after Mike Pearson and, all right, sometimes he is frustrating but you can never knock the kid’s effort, attitude and work-rate.

“That disappoints me from some sections of the supporters but they are entitled to boo and heckle if they pay their money.

“Ruthers is, though, a confidence player and has shown what he can do in the past. If people encouraged him a little bit more rather than criticising him, I think that would help him.”

Barrow will again be without winger Danny Rowe, who has a broken toe.

Barrow (from): Hurst, Flynn, Hessey, M Pearson, Aldred, Harvey, Hunter, Baker, Almond, Jackson, Boyes, S Pearson, Skelton, Anderson, Rutherford, McConville, Owen.

First published at 16:32, Friday, 16 November 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk