Rob Kelly pleased to give Michael reason to be Jolley after Barrow appointment

Posted Sunday, December 27, 2020 by PA

Rob Kelly was delighted after leading Barrow to a second successive victory ahead of handing over the reins to new boss Michael Jolley.

The Bluebirds made it back-to-back wins either side of Christmas thanks to goals from Scott Quigley and Patrick Brough in a 2-0 triumph at Port Vale.

Stand-in boss Kelly, who took over following David Dunn’s departure, now stands aside, with Jolley taking over a squad buoyed by two straight victories.

“Great credit to them, it’s been a difficult week in training but the players have just got on with it and we’ve worked hard,” said the interim boss.

“Port Vale are capable of scoring goals and I thought individually it was important to win our duels, particularly in wide areas. I thought they did that today.

“You always want to start games well and we didn’t plan to sit back for 20-odd minutes, but they stayed in the game with good organisation, shape and character and it wasn’t really until 30 minutes in that we started to put some passes together.

“In the second half we were better – it was still tough but there are different ways to win football matches.

“We always said we’d grow into the league. We won’t get carried away because there’s an awful lot of work to be done, but they’re learning what it takes to win games at this level.”

Ex-Vale striker Quigley struck against his former club midway through the first half, pouncing on a charged-down clearance, and Brough’s tap-in doubled the lead early in the second period.

That proved enough for the visitors, who had nullified the Valiants’ goal threat throughout.

Defeat for Vale means they have taken just two points from the last 12 available, and manager John Askey admitted his side deserved nothing from the match.

“It’s probably the first time since I’ve been here that it just hasn’t been good enough,” he said, with his side sliding down the Sky Bet League Two table.

“For the first goal we have again been punished for a mistake. It’s nothing to do with the shape of the team or anything like that, it’s just a poor clearance.

“And then we weren’t good enough to break them down. It just wasn’t good enough, there were just too many missing.

“We have looked dangerous in previous games but today it was flat, especially in the first half.

“It gets to a stage where all I can do is concentrate on getting results for the football club. I can’t concentrate on anything else.

“You can only try your best and if your best isn’t good enough then at least you know that’s what you’ve done.

“And it should be the same for the players – have they given their best for the football club? If you haven’t you have to hold your hands up and do better.

“Prior to today I think we’ve been unfortunate. You can’t say that today.”