WHEN Barrow’s long-serving captain Daryl Wearing decided it was time to call it a day, there was not exactly a long queue of candidates willing to take on the job.

So up stepped 20-year-old Toby Mowat. Problem solved.

The Ernest Pass club are now in the youthful hands of an opening batsman who has been a life-long member but will not be 21 until next month.

But if there are any worries that the age of 20 is a bit young to lead out a club of Barrow’s standing, they can be instantly discarded. Young Mowat knows exactly what is expected.

And he has not shied away when it comes to his hopes and ambitions for 2016 – with a first-ever Northern League title not ruled out.

“It’s a great honour but when Daryl decided that it was time to step down there was not exactly a rush of volunteers,” said Mowat.

“I thought the time was right, a bit of fresh blood and all that. I have had experience of captain in the junior teams and ever since I made it into the first team I have always had ideas that I liked to put forward.”

Mowat’s experience is not confined to his career with Barrow. A former Cumbria schools player, he spent last summer in Australia, turning out for Melbourne club Box Hill.

“That was a real education and experience and I improved my game a lot while I was out there,” he added

Although the club slumped from second to fourth-bottom of the Northern League in just two seasons and the uncertainty over the future caused by plans for re-organisation that could mean the end of Barrow’s membership of the Northern League, the new captain is not holding back in his ambitions in his first year.

He would clearly love to cap his first season as club captain by lifting the title for the first time.

“A lot of clubs and captains have been saying what they would like to do this year but Barrow have not really been involved in that,” Mowat said.

“We have got a young team with a few old heads and a couple of good overseas players.

“We have been in the league a few years and we had a bit of a slump last year. But we have had some high finishes although we have still to win it. That is what we will bey trying to do this year.”

If Mowat, clearly a believer in positive thinking, does run into problems he will not have to look too far for support. In addition to having ex-captain Daryl Wearing around on the pitch, his father Ray is a former first-team skipper.

Because of the saturated grounds, the league programme was delayed for a week, and Barrow start tomorrow with a home game against Fleetwood, last season’s runners-up.

The club received some good news when Indian batsman Kaustubh Pawar, who was expected to miss the season’s opener due to club commitments back home, arrived earlier than expected and will start his second spell at Ernest Pass alongside Mumbai team-mate Javed Khan lining up against Fleetwood.

However, Barrow will not be at full strength with Gary Collins (calf) and Chris D’Leny (back) missing out through injury, while Greg Reynolds recently became a father.

“We expect them all to be back next week and from then on we’ll be fine,” said Mowat.

The return of Alastair McDougall to the club as coach is also seen as a major boost to the club by the new captain, who will lean on the experience of another former skipper.

“That is a great signing for us and things are looking very positive,”, added Mowat, whose vice-captain is another youngster in Tom Penny.

l Lindal Moor are in County Cup Preliminary Round action this Sunday when they face Keswick at Pennington Lane (2pm start, umpires, Phil Wilkinson and Stan Howarth).