BLUEBIRDS chief Paul Casson has revealed the team are looking to emulate last year’s National League champions Cheltenham Town in their campaign this season.

Barrow have made a strong start to their bid for success this time out, with 24 points from 12 game seeing them sit fourth in the table – above the likes of Tranmere Rovers, Lincoln City and Eastleigh, though now below Macclesfield after their midweek win over Wrexham.

Saturday’s 2-0 triumph against York City saw the Bluebirds extend their unbeaten run to seven matches, and they sit just three points behind leaders Dagenham and Redbridge.

This weekend sees a second-against-fourth clash as the Bluebirds fly south to Gloucestershire to take on Forest Green Rovers, with victory certain to see AFC move higher still in the standings.

It is a position manager Paul Cox has expressed both surprise and delight at, saying his newly-assembled team are ahead of schedule in their development.

And now Casson has revealed the schedule they are working to is the one which saw Cheltenham reach the top of the tree after 20 games last season – mid-November this time round – with a new-look team of their own.

Casson has not suggested he expects Barrow to go on and win the title as the Robins did, more that their general progression through the year on their way to taking the crown is a pattern he hopes his side can emulate.

“I think we have been saying all along that we are way ahead of any schedule we thought we could even potentially be on,” said a pleased Holker Street owner.

“We’re matching ourselves to Cheltenham last year, and we looked at how they started the season. They came down and they changed almost their entire squad, which we almost did as well, and they started again with a very savvy manager and with not a lot of marquee stars, but with players who definitely wanted to win.

“They have been our template in many ways, and we have been following how they did. They finally reached the top of the league after game 19, having dragged down Forest Green, who had that really good start.

“We thought it would probably take us 19 to 20 games to get to the position we are in at the moment, but it has happened quicker than that.

“I don’t know what that means, really. I don’t whether it’s good or it’s bad, because Paul always talks about not wanting to peak too soon, and how it is always good to be the chaser, rather than the team being chased. I guess we will take it though!”

On his impressions of the side following the York match, which he watched from the Main Stand for the first time this season, he said: “They look pretty good. I know people thought the first half was a bit bitty on Saturday, but that was a swirling, nasty wind, and it didn’t really lend itself to playing particularly good football. But we still had a couple of decent chances.

“In the second half, when the wind calmed down a little bit, we could actually play a little football. I thought we were far better than them – we looked a proper football team.

“I think Paul Turnbull had his best game for us, and he partnered very well with Ryan Yates in midfield. We always looked potent up front and we could have had five in the second half. We went very close a couple of times as well as the goals. If we had run out 5-0 winners, I don’t think it would have been too far off the indication of the second half.”