Barrow AFC came away with their pride intact despite a brave penalty shoot-out defeat to Derby County.

The Championship outfit edged the shoot-out 3-2 after David Dunn’s side held the hosts to a 0-0 draw in the Carabao Cup first round.

It was a valiant first game back as an EFL club, and boss Dunn said he was hugely impressed with the way his player went about things at Pride Park.

He said: “I’m so proud of how they performed. We knew that it was going to be a really big challenge for us to do this, but I thought the way the lads competed and the way they played was great.

“I think we had the best of the first half in terms of chances, and our game plan was going really well. I was really proud of them. So proud!

“They were disappointed, as we all are, but I’m still enormously happy with how they played today.

“To lose any football match, I don’t like doing, but to lose on penalties having taken a really good team, who are probably going to be challenging for the Premier League this year... it’s so disappointing.

“I was really excited, as were the lads before the game. But that sting of disappointment is still there.”

Dunn’s side return to action tomorrow in the EFL Trophy at Blackpool ahead of their historic first league game against Stevenage.

The Bluebirds' boss added: “We frustrated Derby and gave them very few chances. We’ve set ourselves really high standards now, and I told them in the changing room that’s the standard you’ve set yourselves.

“We have a cup game on Tuesday, and the big one on Saturday.”