THERE was double delight for Barrow AFC manager Paul Cox on Saturday, as his side went into the National League top-four and he finally landed striker Dan Cockerline.

Sheffield United product Cockerline was on the Holker Street terraces to see his new club beat Maidstone United 3-0 through goals from Paul Turnbull, Jordan Williams and Richie Bennett.

Like Williams and Bennett – whose strikes helped lift the Bluebirds to fourth in the table and make it 10 matches unbeaten – AFC’s newest recruit was spotted playing for Northwich Victoria following a summer release from Bramall Lane.

Barrow put in seven days’ notice of their intention to sign the 6ft 3ins tall front-man last month, and he put pen to paper on non-contract terms on Saturday after weeks of talks and negotiations. A full contract will follow after he completes a suspension picked up for being sent off while playing for the Vics.

Cox sees huge potential in the 19-year-old Cheshire youngster, and said: “Once again, when I’ve seen him, when he’s trained with us, I’ve seen an immense potential – as good as Jordan Williams, as good as Richie Bennett.

“But potential is potential. This kid has a great personality, he’s got a great work ethic, and he’s got a hunger to want to become a professional footballer.

“These things didn’t go right for him at Sheffield United, but he has a hunger to prove a few people wrong.

“Speaking to the lad and watching the lad, he might surprise one or two people very early on. He’s a project, but he might be there quicker than people imagine, because he’s got all the attributes to be a good striker at this level and to be a Football League striker.

“What I’ve got to do is look at him, let him catch up with his match fitness. There might be a month out on loan somewhere for Dan to get some competitive games.”

What Cockerline saw on Saturday was a Barrow team producing one of their best home displays of the season.

The goals from Turnbull, Williams and Bennett could have been added to, with the likes of Ross Hannah and Byron Williams going close, while National League Player-of-the-Month for September Moussa Diarra was at the heart of a defence which was rock solid.

Cox – as always – still sees more to come, and said: “It was as close to the away displays at home as we’ve come, as close to. The people who have followed us away, those who have looked at us on You-Tube and such, will see that we are so much more relaxed away from home.

“I thought that when we got to grips with them, we started to play football, and we moved the ball around really well today. It was close to an away performance, but there is still some improvement for us as a team.

“I’m pleased for the boys, because they rammed everything down my throat that I had said at half-time, and that put a wry little smile on my face at the end of the game.

“Anyone who really watched the game would know that three goals was a scoreline we probably could have doubled. We had Byron going through one-on-one with the keeper and we had some other good chances.

“We don’t want to get greedy and we don’t want to get arrogant. We’ve got to respect every fixture, respect every team that comes here. I thought today, we came under pressure from what I think is probably the longest throw I have seen in football (from Alix Flisher). We had to be resolute – we earned the right and we came through that, we got a foothold in the game and we started to create chances, which is really pleasing.

“We’re growing. We’ve come through a tough set of fixtures, where we have done a lot of travelling, played some top teams. I’m pleased overall.”