ADY Pennock is fuming that Barrow AFC full-back Dan Jones was on England C duty just 24 hours before ‘arguably the biggest game of the season’.

The Bluebirds wideman was with the non-league national side for a friendly against Wales in Barry Town last night. He played the full 90 minutes in a 3-2 win

He was called up on March 1 – having seen injury rule him out of featuring in the International Challenge Trophy against Slovakia earlier in the season – at a time when Barrow had a blank midweek.

However, their National League match-up with relegation rivals Hartlepool United has since been brought forward to be screened by the BT Sport TV cameras, and now Jones faces the prospect of playing twice in 24 hours.

Pennock is unhappy that the 23-year-old North Easterner remained involved with the England side for a game with no competitive element, when he has a key role to play against his former club tonight (7.45pm kick-off).

With Bedsente Gomis suspended following his red card in the 1-0 win at Maidenhead United on Saturday, the Barrow boss had planned to start Jones, but will have to see how he comes through the international encounter.

A clearly displeased Pennock said: “I’m just annoyed that Dan Jones is going to be involved with the England C game. I have spoken to Dan, and with Bes being suspended there is the chance that Dan might even start.

“(The England) game is on astro-turf as well, and this is such a big game for us, so hopefully Dan Jones comes through it okay.

“It’s going to be only 24 hours later that he will be involved in arguably the biggest game of the season for us.”

Jones is one of only two men involved in the England squad who also have club games this midweek, with Bromley’s Joshua Rees also included by manager Paul Fairclough.

The Ravens faced another of Barrow’s relegation rivals, Solihull Moors, last night, meaning Pennock is disadvantaged in his home game while the Moors are advantaged in theirs.

He added: “I just don’t understand where the FA or England C are coming from; I don’t get it. It’s not as though it’s a qualifier of any sort; it’s a friendly on astro-turf when we’ve got a big game the day after.

“We’ll just see how he gets through it. Dan understands the situation.

“If I were the England C manager, or involved with England C, I wouldn’t even involve him. Why involve him in a nothing game?”

The need to feature Jones more prominently – he was a substitute at Maidenhead, with Donovan Makoma making a rare start – comes following the red card shown to Gomis.

Pennock knows the French midfielder will be a miss against Hartlepool, and said: “Bes has done well. He’s popular in the changing room, good in the changing room, and performance-wise he has done well – he gets around the pitch and it’s just a shame he got that second yellow card.

“If he hadn’t got that second yellow card, he could have been suspended for two games, because he was on 10 bookings.

“We just have to get him through the Dover game (on Saturday), hope he doesn’t get yellow-carded there, and then hopefully he will be okay.”