BARROW AFC midfielder Ben Whitfield has been praised by boss Pete Wild for his reaction to a 'tough start' to the season after finding the net again. 

The 27-year-old midfielder fired Barrow in front against Walsall after just 11 minutes during the week, in his second start of the League Two campaign. 

Despite suffering an unfortunate injury that derailed his start to the current campaign, Whitfield is the Bluebirds' joint second-highest scorer in all competitions with four goals, and ahead of Barrow's FA Cup second-round clash with Maidstone United, Wild praised the midfielder's response to these setbacks. 

He said: "There is no doubting Ben's ability, Ben has got tons of ability and that is why we brought him to the football club and our job over the last 18 months has been trying to unlock that talent and get him back to the levels I knew he could get to from where he was at previous clubs.

"He obviously has the tough start with the injury and he has found it tough at times to get back into the team, but every time he has come off the bench and every time he has started he has looked good, looked a threat and that is what you want from players like Ben, you want them to look a threat and look like they are always going to score."

Wild also discussed how the attitude of players such as Ben Whitfield, who have faced spells out of the side, has been one of Barrow's biggest strengths this season.

He said: "I think there is a lot like that, I think every lad who has come into the tea or has had to wait for their chance to come into the team has certainly taken their opportunities and I think that is one of the strengths of the squad this year.

"When they come into the team they take their chance, you look on Tuesday night we made four changes from the team that won 4-1 and you would have no idea that we had made those changes.