McEvilly signed an 18-month deal with Rochdale in January

New Barrow signing Lee McEvilly says he is "totally committed" to helping the Bluebirds avoid the drop from the Blue Square Premier this season.

The 27-year-old striker scored after just seven minutes of his debut in Saturday's 2-0 win over Lewes after joining from Rochdale on loan.

"I've got to look to the future," McEvilly told BBC Radio Cumbria.

"I'm playing for Barrow at the moment and I'm 100% behind a club that's going places," he added.

McEvilly said his friendship with Bluebirds' joint-boss Dave Bayliss was a key reason behind his decision to join the Holker Street club.

"I'm close mates with Dave," McEvilly said. "I'd spoken to (Rochdale manager) Keith Hill to ask why I wasn't playing and Dave pretty much pounced on me, really.

"Dave said to me 'come down, play games, do what you're capable of'. It's quite hard to say 'no' to Bayls. I'm just happy to be playing."

Bayliss and McEvilly were briefly former team-mates at Rochdale under John Hollins and at Wrexham for two seasons between 2005 and 2007.

I've got another twelve months on my contract left at Rochdale at the end of this season so we'll just see what happens Lee McEvilly

"I've played with Dave and played against him," McEvilly said. "I didn't enjoy playing against him, that's for sure."

McEvilly began his career with non-league Burscough before a £20,000 move to Rochdale in 2001 where he scored 27 times in 95 appearances.

While at Spotland, he earned an international cap for Northern Ireland before subsequent moves to Accrington Stanley and Wrexham followed.

The Liverpool-born forward began this season with Cambridge before returning to Rochdale on a permanent basis in January.

However, McEvilly has found himself out of the first-team picture in recent weeks.

"It's all ifs and buts at the moment." he said. "I've got another 12 months on my contract left at Rochdale at the end of this season so we'll just see what happens."

"But I've been brought in by Dave to score goals for Barrow and try and help this club for the next six weeks.

"As long as I can be a part of helping take the club forward then we can access that at the end of the season."

The Bluebirds moved out of the Blue Square Premier relegation places on the back of Saturday's win against bottom-side Lewes thanks to goals from McEvilly and Lee Hunt either side of the break.

The win lifted Barrow up to 18th ahead of Sunday's trip to fellow strugglers Weymouth.

"It's going to be tough but as long as we continue to keep pressing I'm sure we'll get something out of these games," McEvilly said.

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