PAUL Cox is impressed with what he saw of the Barrow AFC Performance Centre youngsters as he fielded three of them alongside his first-team squad players.

Cox utilised Under-18s trio Harry Mellen, Callum Fawcett and Macauley Woods in defence for Tuesday's Lancashire Senior Cup match against Rochdale.

All three lined up in defence alongside first-team midfielder Dan Rowe, and behind the likes of Liam Hughes, Akil Wright and Ross Hannah.

Cox was happy with the way they performed, and saw them as a prime example of what the Bluebirds' Performance Centre can produce – with hopes they will do more in the future.

“I thought the kids put a good marker down and showed me that this club is producing some good kids who are coming through,” said the Barrow first-team boss.

“If It wasn't for the first-teamers needing game-time under their belt, I would have played a team of the youngsters. It was about getting some of the kids some game-time and getting their experience levels up against what was a very string Rochdale side.”

He added: “I thought the kids were excellent judging them against the level of opposition we played again. There were some big-hitters out there in the Rochdale side, some very experienced players, and I was very pleased with the way the whole group conducted themselves.

“Taking away the result, which was a little bit insignificant, I'm looking at the positives and hopefully the kids have just that little bit more experience.”