HAVING suffered back-to-back home defeats against Solihull Moors and Dagenham & Redbridge, with no win in four games, it is fair to say that AFC fans had mixed reactions to Saturday’s 1-0 loss, writes Liam Bewsher.

Visiting goalkeeper Elliot Justham was Dagenham’s man of the match, having made several key saves to keep Peter Taylor’s side in the game, and Elliot Romain’s 89th-minute winner gave AFC fans a familiar feeling of seeing their side punished for missing chances.

AFC had two one-on-ones saved on Saturday, firstly with Luke Burgess, and then Josh Kay. That added to Jack Hindle and John Rooney having missed vital penalties against Hartlepool United last Tuesday and Solihull Moors the Saturday prior to that away trip.

Bluebirds fan Garry Thompson stated what the majority of Holker Street were feeling on Saturday, via Facebook, saying: “We need to start taking our chances. 100 per cent times better than what was served up last season.”

Whilst Gary Benson further backed up Thompson’s view on AFC’s Facebook page, as Barrow were not clinical enough to take anything away from the game, writing: “We should have been three up. Poor finishing today. That’s the first time I have come away disappointed this season. Let’s bounce back.”

@jim_jim57 displayed his bitter frustration on Twitter following the game, wanting to see more effort from Evatt’s men. He wrote: “Not good enough supporters let down yet again, players saying the supporters are top draw all the time and we are let down week after week.”

Whilst David McKeever stated that there is a sense of predictability in what is happening: “can hear the manager’s post game comments now: we played all the football…but again it’s zero goals and points AGAIN!”

This is something which is starting to irk the fans, as for all the good football that has been played this season, AFC are only marginally better off points wise than they were at this time last season.

Barrow fan Jim Bull backed up Ian Evatt’s statement about mistakes and lapses of concentration gifting the opposition points by saying: “Becoming a habit this throwing games away”.

Evatt will hope he can get a reaction on Saturday away to Boreham Wood.