Successful set-pieces are costing me, says Barrow boss after third straight win

Barrow boss Pete Wild stressed he’s going to be short of money if his side keep scoring from set-pieces after they beat rock-bottom Colchester 3-1 in Sky Bet League Two.

Brilliant Billy Waters bagged the first hat-trick of his career as the on-song Bluebirds made it three wins on the spin in style.

All three of Waters’ goals came from corners as the Essex club’s poor run on the road continued – they have now amassed just one point from a possible 24.

Wild revealed: “I challenged the players and said every goal they scored off a set-piece I’d give them some money towards their Christmas do – I am skint!

“I’m really pleased because if we’re scoring from set-pieces we’re doing well and that’s what the incentive was about.

“Set-pieces are all about putting the ball into the right areas and Whits [Ben Whitfield] can certainly put the ball into the right areas. I’m really pleased with the areas he put the balls into.

“It was one of those nights where we had to go over them because we couldn’t go through them.

“The first set-piece and the first goal really settled us.

“I’m really pleased with how we managed the game. Games like this can be interesting and I think the lads managed it professionally.

On Waters, Wild added: “Bill just being off the keeper was really good. A fox in the box.

“Everybody can now understand why I was so keen to bring him into the football club.

“I’m really pleased with the contributions he’s showing at the moment.”

Colchester boss Matt Bloomfield refused to be all doom and gloom despite seeing his basement boys go a fifth game without a win.

Veteran striker Freddie Sears came off the bench at Holker Street to score his first goal since the opening day.

But on his side’s defensive woes, Bloomfield said: “We’ve conceded three goals from set-pieces and that’s obviously not ideal.

“We want to win football matches and you’re not going to do that if you concede goals from set-pieces, especially three in a game.

“I felt like we started the game pretty well, but if you concede three goals from set-pieces you aren’t going to win the game and that’s what happened.

“It’s bitterly disappointing from my behalf. We did our preparation and have a game plan in place.

“A crazy couple of minutes and the ball’s in the back of our net twice and we find ourselves 2-0 down.

“We gave ourselves a mountain to climb, especially with conceding straight after half-time, but we kept going.

“Conceding two goals quickly is going to knock anybody off their stride and to concede so soon after half-time was a big blow.

“We know there’s work to do, we knew that when we walked through the door and we know that now.

“There’s still a lot of football to be played, we will pick ourselves up and keep going.”