BARNOLDSWICK Town boss Stewart Airdrie is hoping a link-up with FC United of Manchester will help his team succeed in their North West Counties League Premier Division survival battle.

Barlick secured their first win in nine games last weekend when they triumphed 2-1 away at Alsager Town to cut the gap to safety to one point.

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And with Stewart Airdrie’s side having two games in hand on the side immediately above them, AFC Blackpool, survival is in their own hands.

But Airdrie believes an unofficial link up with the FC United development squad can help them turn their first victory since November 22 into an unbeaten run with Jack Tinnin first through the arrivals door.

He said: “We have taken Jack from FC United’s development squad and he made his debut on Saturday. He is only 16 but we have watched him a few times and we think he can really help us.

“We are building a young squad here and my assistant manager James Gill has a couple of contacts at FC United and they played us in a pre-season friendly so it kind of went from there.

“If we can give some of their young players their first taste of adult football in a competitive division then hopefully it will benefit the players and FC United, and we will obviously benefit as well.”

Airdrie, whose side are not in league action this weekend but will be playing a friendly against Stockport Town, watched John Beckwith score a late winner last time out in the 2-1 win at Alsager.

And he now wants his players to take confidence from those three points heading into the final 12 games of the season.

“It was a massive relief to get the three points on Saturday, for me and for the players,” said Airdrie.

“Our performances suggested it had been coming but the problem was once we went two goals down you could see heads start to drop. Hopefully now we have got this win we can get some confidence and make sure we stay up.”

Barlick entertain St Helens in their next fixture and Airdrie knows that three points against another relegation rival could go along way to securing their status in the premier division.

“That’s a massive game for us,” he added. “If we can nick three points there then we cut the gap on them to two points and potentially move out of the bottom three.

“I do think it is one from us, St Helens and AFC Blackpool who will go down so our job is to make sure it is not us.”