John Rooney has thrived since he started captaining Barrow AFC two-and-a-half months ago, but the midfielder insists he'd still be feeling as driven even if someone else was leading the team out.

The 29-year-old led by example in last Saturday's 2-1 win over Torquay United by smashing in the Bluebirds' equaliser to take his haul for season up to 19 goals, almost twice as many as he scored in the whole of last season.

Ten of those have come since he was first given the armband in the 3-0 win over Notts County in November that took AFC to the top of the National League for the first time, another match in which he scored.

Barrow have remained on their perch since and Rooney has maintained his superb form, but he hasn't felt any extra inspiration from being given the captaincy, which he inherited from Jason Taylor.

He said: "It's just one of those where I think from the start of the season we've done well. When Tayls was out, the manager gave me the armband and he's left me with it because of my performances.

"It don't think it really bothers me too much, being captain, I think I'd be the same without it, probably.

"The manager has left it with me, but it doesn't matter because we all look up to Tayls and Josh [Granite] as well, especially for me.

"Jason has been there and won promotions, so it's always good to speak to him."

Rooney will be leading the team out again tonight at Dover Athletic, where Barrow have the chance to extend their lead at the top of the division to ten points and leave their fellow promotion contenders with a mountain to climb.

Despite it being a game in hand, Rooney is adamant the Bluebirds won't be taking their foot off the gas, saying: "We've just got to take each game as it comes, try and put on a performance and try to get as many points as we can going into the last couple of months of the season.

"We've got a good bunch of lads, we're confident and hopefully we can carry on and have a good run-in.

On his superb strike against Torquay, which put AFC on the road to victory, Rooney added: "I was just trying to stay calm and make good contact, hit the target and try to make the 'keeper work and luckily enough it's gone into the top corner."