PETE Wild believes Barrow’s enforced 17-day break has helped reignite the club’s play-off push. 

The Bluebirds lost three games in a row, including a 5-3 defeat to Salford last time out.

But a home game against Bradford and a trip to Crawley were both called off due to waterlogged pitches.

And Barrow returned to winning ways with a bang thanks to goals from James Chester and Emile Acquah. 

After an impressive victory over top-seven rivals Gillingham, who slipped to ninth with defeat, Wild said: “It has proved the work we have had to do on the training ground over the last two weeks have proved dividend.

“It’s allowed us to work on things tactically that we needed to be better at.

“The cornerstone of our season has been how we’ve defended. Over the course of a season some teams will figure you out and you have to be better at what you do. 

“Sometimes that break can be a hindrance, but it looks like it’s helped us. 

“With the way the lads have taken the information on board over the last couple of weeks, it looks like it’s really done us a favour.

“We’ve been talking over the last couple of weeks about the fans wanting you to go forward all the time, but the ball gets turned over a lot in League Two.

“It was nice to build some sustained possession that allowed us to push the opposition back. That was capped off by two belting goals.”

Wild hailed his side as “outstanding” after a thoroughly convincing performance against a Stephen Clemence side who had lost just one of their previous seven before their trip to Holker Street.

“I think to a man you’ve seen three or four lads who have played the best they ever had in a Barrow shirt,” added Wild. 

“They were outstanding. 

“It was really nice last Saturday when I went and had a chat with the fans, and the fans who have been with us through thick and thin knew we were having a blip and we would come through it and we’ve delivered for them.

“I’m really pleased that we’ve done that because some of the things they were saying was humbling to say the least.

“I keep saying this, we must remember what this squad is doing for the football club and the distance it’s travelled.

“We’ve put a pin in the ground. Where we were 12 months ago in March we were out of the play-off picture and nowhere near it. Twelve months on we’re in the play-off picture.

“I think the staff and the squad deserve so much credit for what they’re doing for this football club.”