Last updated at 17:10, Monday, 12 November 2012

BARROW AFC assistant manager Ashley Hoskin has warned there might have to be changes to the playing personnel at Holker Street after the Bluebirds fell back into the relegation zone.

Striker Joe Jackson in action for Barrow AFC during their 2-1 home defeat against Lincoln City

A 2-1 home defeat against Lincoln City on Saturday has left Barrow third-bottom of Blue Square Bet Premier, two points from safety.

A neatly-crafted Alan Power goal gave the Imps the lead just before half-time.

The visitors then doubled their advantage on 64 minutes when Barrow, for the umpteenth time this season, failed to defend a corner and substitute Vadaine Oliver powered in a header.

Richie Baker pulled one back from the penalty spot with five minutes remaining to set up a grandstand finish, but it was too little, too late from the Bluebirds, who have now failed to win any of their last three games in league and cup.

Speaking after the match, watched by a crowd of just under 1,000, Hoskin said: “It was same old, same old. We don’t know what we can do to get the lads to start games better. We have tried everything.

“And then there’s corners. Again today we have conceded from another set-piece and that’s very disappointing.

“Our decision-making is not good enough. We give lads jobs to do when defending set-pieces and they don’t do their jobs.

“We changed system from man-marking to zonal, but now that is not working too, so what do we do?

“Realistically, you look at your personnel and I think the time is coming, especially having spoken to Bayles (Barrow manager Dave Bayliss) for the last 15-20 minutes, where we are in a position where we might have to change the personnel.

“That is pretty brutal but, at the end of the day, we are not getting results.

“I always say you defend as a team. Our goalkeeper Danny (Hurst) is in there for a reason. We look to Danny to command his six-yard box.

“On Tuesday at Stockport (when Barrow lost 3-1), there were two goals scored from the six-yard box, so I think Bayles was right to have a go at Danny.

“Today we’re asking people to hold their hands up and Matty Flynn has said it was his fault (for the goal from the corner). But again, it’s not good enough. We are conceding at one end and are not clinical enough in the final third at the other end. We have to be better.”

Bayliss chose to leave seven-goal striker Adam Boyes out of his starting XI, while also switching to a 4-4-2 formation. Danny Rowe started on the left wing and was the team’s most creative force until suffering a suspected broken toe.

Hoskin said: “Boyesy works his socks off in games. We’ve had a big number of games and have another big one on Tuesday (the FA Cup first round replay at home against Guiseley).

“We just thought we would freshen it up by playing Joe Jackson up front with Louis (Almond).

“To be fair, I thought Jacko was outstanding. He got his body in there, held the ball up and got knocked from pillar to post.

“But, for me, as a striker, he should have scored two today, when he headed one off target and the other, I don’t think there is another striker who would try to pass it when standing eight yards out. We need to be more clinical and smashing the ball into the net.

“I thought Danny Rowe had done really well but just before half-time he got stamped on and we think he might have broken his little toe.

“That is a blow because he deserved his chance from the start today and I felt he did really well.”

Just Nuneaton (14 points) and Hyde (16) now sit below Barrow (18) in the table.

Hoskin added: “The table doesn’t lie, we are where we are.

“I have said in the past, and rightly so, we’ve played games and didn’t deserve to get beat but, at the end of the day, those excuses are running out and we have to stop conceding stupid goals.” 

First published at 17:01, Monday, 12 November 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk