Jack Midson said he hoped he did himself proud as he stood in for regular centre forward James Constable against Barrow on Saturday.

And he certainly got the backing of manager Chris Wilder, who said: “To me, that was Jack’s best game. He did well.”

The former Histon forward took over as the central focus of United’s three-man attack, rather than having to operate on the flank or as a second striker to Constable, and he led the line admirably.

But he was disappointed that little seemed to run for United as they kept pressing for victory, even with a man short.

“We always still fancied ourselves in the second half, even with ten men,” he said.

“We gave it a real good go, there were bits of luck maybe that didn’t go our way towards the end.

“Someone goes near post and it goes far. I had a header that, on another day, might have skidded in. It skidded wide. It was just one of those days.

“But we’ll go again when we play them in the replay.”

Midson admitted the traditio-nal No 9 is his favourite position.

“It’s more natural,” he agreed.

“I’ve always said that, wherever the gaffer puts me, then I’ll happily do a job. But that is my more natural position, where I’ve played the last couple of years and hopefully on Tuesday I can play there again.”

He got his opportunity there because the knock Constable took to his back at Forest Green had not cleared up.

Indeed, it was considered such a concern, that he wasn’t risked, even as a late sub.

Wilder said: “Both Beano and Damian Batt were struggling with injury. And with Jack doing so well, we felt it wasn’t worth putting Beano on.”

Midson himself only knew he’d be starting the day before.

He said: “I was always asking Beano, for the last couple of days, about his back, because he was struggling slightly.

“I don’t think he told the press too much about that, and everyone was waiting for that to be all right the last couple of days.

“It was hurting him, I could see. He was having a lot of physio on it and I found out on Friday that I would be playing up front, in the middle, and hopefully I’ve done myself proud.”

Asked for his views on the Barrow spot-kick, Midson said: “My first reaction, as I said to the ref, was if it was in the box, because I thought it might have been just outside.”

So what is he expecting for the replay?

“We know when we went there the last time it was windy and wet, I’m sure it will be the same, if not worse, on a Tuesday night in December,” Midson said.

“But we’ll be travelling up on the Monday, I’m sure, and the gaffer and staff always have somewhere good to train, so we’ll stay up, do it professionally, and do what we can do.