Barrow boss David Dunn has been boosted by the news that Sam Hird is free to face Salford after having a red card overturned on appeal.

Hird was dismissed 15 minutes into Tuesday night’s 1-0 defeat at Morecambe after handling under pressure from Carlos Mendes Gomes, with Dunn adamant his player was being fouled at the time.

Midfielder Lewis Hardcastle is progressing well in his recovery from an ankle injury, but the game is likely to come too soon for him.

James Jones (also ankle), Tom Beadling (groin) and Courtney Baker-Richardson (hip) continue to work their way back to fitness.

Salford’s Brandon Thomas-Asante will sit out once again through suspension.

The striker was sent off during last Saturday’s FA Cup 3-0 second-round exit at Newport and having missed the midweek league defeat at Carlisle, will serve the second instalment of a three-game ban.

Striker Ian Henderson had to leave the field at Brunton Park after just 22 minutes after suffering a nasty cut to his lip, and he will be assessed.

Manager Richie Wellens, who had made nine changes for the cup game, made eight more for the trip to Cumbria, where Richie Towell, James Wilson and Darron Gibson were all missing.