GRAHAM Barrow is a man on a mission as Chester City prepare to enter the lion's den at Ewood Park tomorrow.

Blues boss Barrow would dearly love to mastermind one of the biggest cup shocks in City's history against promotion-chasing Blackburn Rovers.

But the former Wigan and Rochdale chief has set his sights firmly on the bigger picture, which is to help the Nationwide Conference achieve its goal of a fairer system of promotion to the Football League.

"Obviously, this cup run has already done a lot for Chester City, as well as the city itself," said Barrow.

"But we can also do a lot to help the cause of non-League football in general.

"There's a big fight on to try and get two or three clubs from the Conference promoted to the Third Division.

"And I think ourselves, Morecambe, Dagenham and Yeovil can all do a lot for that cause tomorrow.

"If we can come away with a reasonable performance and a respectable result then it might make people sit up and take note.

"But then I think we've already done that by getting this far because we've already beaten two League clubs along the way.

"This is the first time I've been involved in the Conference and it's really surprised me in terms of what it's got to offer.

"I've played both League and non-League football and I don't think there's any difference between the two now." Barrow knows all about life on both sides of the fence after starting his playing career with Chorley and then Altrincham.

But, in subsequent spells as both a player and manager with Wigan Athletic and City, the closest he has come to a giant-killing was a 2-2 draw with Chelsea.

Now, he has the chance to put that right after City disposed of both Oxford United and Plymouth on their way to the third round.

And Chorley-born Barrow could not have asked for a better tie than a clash with Rovers.

"When you're a Third Division team or a Conference club, the goal when you set off is to get to the third round," said Barrow.

"And, when the draw was made, it was not only a good one for me but a good one for the club.

"The players have all been excited by it since the draw was made because we could have been going to the likes of Scunthorpe or Dagenham.

"But we are playing Blackburn and that's a fitting reward after we've beaten two league teams already to get this far."

Barrow has done his homework, having watched Rovers personally against both Crewe and Burnley recently.

And he is in no doubt as to the size of the task his team faces.

"From the games I've seen, Blackburn have got a trio of players who are fairly unique in this day and age," said Barrow.

"The likes of Matt Jansen, David Dunn and Damien Duff can all go past a couple of players as if they weren't there.

"And that sort of player is always going to be a big threat to whoever they are playing against, whether it's a team from the Premier League or the Conference.

"I watched them at Burnley and they made them look ordinary on the day.

"But we just want to do ourselves and the Conference justice.

"Anyone who knows me as a player or a manager knows I won't want to be turned over."

Whatever the result, however, City cannot lose, with the gate receipts alone likely to make a big difference at the Deva.

"People might think we can go out and buy a player with that," said Barrow.

"But I prefer to look at it more as helping us next year towards sustaining full time status.

"It's hard getting back once you drop into the Conference.

"We've only lost five league games all season but we are languishing in eighth or ninth place.

"There's a lot of league players knocking about and the Conference has given some young players released by clubs like Blackburn a new lease of life.

"We've got three or four young lads who are 17 or 18 and they've been in the side all season.

"So this is a great opportunity for them to gain some valuable experience."