SHOCKED, disappointed and sad. Barrow AFC caretaker manager Neill Hornby was upset to see Micky Moore axed this week.

He labelled Sunday's FA Cup exit at Shaw Lane as disappointing, embarrassing and unacceptable after it led to Moore's dismissal.

Hornby only arrived at the Bluebirds on Friday to take up a contract until the end of the season as Moore's assistant.

However, four days after being appointed, he was thrust into a new position as interim boss, and has been taking training this week in preparations for Saturday's National League match at Ebbsfleet.

Hornby said he was positive he and Moore could have turned Barrow's fortunes around, after a run of just one win in 11 games since the resignation of Paul Cox in August.

The duo were not given that chance, however, and Hornby said of this week's events: “I was very shocked, disappointed, sad. Micky's a very good guy, I've known him for years and he's a very good man.

“I know he has worked tirelessly to get Barrow moved up the table, and it's just purely – in my opinion – been down to the spate of bad injuries we've had. We've got several key players who would be in the starting 11 missing through injury – you get those back in and it makes one hell of a difference.

“I'm just really disappointed for Micky, and I'm disappointed for myself because I moved to the football club to work with him.”

He added: “I spoke to Micky at length before making the decision to come here. It was an opportunity to get back into the game.

“I've met up with Micky (since the sacking), and I know if we had been given the chance, we would have been successful.”

Hornby is focused on getting the players ready for the weekend, and has made it clear to the team they must improve on the effort at Shaw Lane.

“I've made it clear that the performance was totally unacceptable,” he said.

“We move forward – we can't do anything about what has happened. It's hugely disappointing, it's hugely embarrassing and it's hugely unacceptable. But, as I've said to the players, we can't do anything about the history and what has happened, but what we can do is move forward, and we can affect what happened from now. That's starts on Saturday at Ebbsfleet.”

Hornby refused to consider the prospect of replacing Moore as Barrow AFC manager on a permanent basis as he focuses on the task as caretaker boss.

The 51-year-old, who was on the bench for the first time with Barrow for Sunday's FA Cup exit at Shaw Lane, said he had not even thought about the prospect of being Moore's successor.

Asked if he was interested in the job on a permanent basis, Hornby said: “I don't know, is the honest answer. I don't really know – it's too early to think about those sort of things.

“All I'm looking at doing, it's not about me, it's about the players and the club at the moment. All I will do is work as many hours as I have got to get everybody prepared and ready for the games over the weekend and on Tuesday.

“It's just not about me at the moment, I've not given it a minute's thought in all honesty.

“I've been on my phone most of the day and watching clips of Ebbsfleet – that and walking the dog when I need to unfry my head for half-an-hour. I've not given anything any thought.”