MANAGER Richard Dryden believes his side played well enough to earn a share of the spoils in the 1-0 defeat at Barrow.

Matt Henney scored after 17 minutes at a rain-lashed Holker Street to hand the Bluebirds a place in the play-offs and leave City 12th in the final Blue Square North standings.

Dryden was pleased with the way Worcester dealt with the in-form Cumbrians and felt they gave a good account of themselves.

"I think it was a decent performance," he said. "I was trying to get across to people how we have got to play by getting the ball wide and getting the ball down. You could see when we finally did that, we can play some decent stuff.

"I emphasised before the game the pitch was decent to play football on and we tried to play football on it. We couldn't do it Tuesday night at Workington because of the pitch. On Saturday, I thought we played enough football to get something out of the game.

"Barrow were a lot of games unbeaten and I'm asking why? Is it down to discipline, people keeping their shape and making it hard to play? You can't deny they have got great forwards and a couple of good wingers.

"Our back four, keeper and the rest of the 11 worked hard to get behind the ball and make it hard for them.

"I thought we did exceptionally well against a side who are on a roll and I don't think anybody wants to play them in the play-offs."

Dryden continued: "It was always going to be windy and, going forward first-half, we played the ball up to Rory May too quickly sometimes rather than getting an extra pass in. But, in the second-half, I thought we had a go with decent link-up play."

Striker Mark Danks made a surprise start for City, only making himself available in the warm-up, and Dryden was impressed with his effort.

"Mark did very well," the St George's Lane boss said. "I was going to be on the bench if Mark wasn't fit and he didn't really declare himself fit until about an hour-and-a-quarter before the game.

"We had a chat and he was better off starting than he was coming on as sub in case he did get a goal.

"Mark is a marked man when he goes out and about because he's a good player. If I was playing against Mark or someone like that, I would say go and boot him until he's had enough.

"That's what clubs will do to good players. He deserves his bootings because, on his day, he's a fantastic player."

However, the match looks certain to have been George Clegg's last in a City shirt because of the travelling commitments that will face the Manchester-based midfielder if Worcester are moved to Blue Square South.

Dryden added: "It was very likely George's last game. I would love to keep him but sometimes logistics say you can't."