PAUL Cox is expecting another hard task for his Barrow AFC players as they host Braintree Town at Holker Street tonight.

Play-off hopefuls Braintree head to Furness on the back of successive defeats which have seen them drop out of the National League top-five (7.45pm kick-off).

But Cox – who has no new injury or fitness concerns following Saturday’s 1-0 triumph at Aldershot – expects the Essex side to give the Bluebirds a tough examination.

“You’ve got to look at Braintree and admire them for what a good season they are having,” he said.

“It will be another test of our mentality. If there’s one thing that could happen now, I’m waiting for some of the players, in their performances and in their body language, to tell me we have arrived, and we haven’t.

“We’re nowhere near where I want us to be and, as I have tried to explain in the past, I’m looking for the players to finish the season on as much of a high as we can to give me the headache of selecting these players for next season, because of their consistency and their mind-set to see the 46-game season through from start to finish.”

Cox is happy to see his side on an eight-match unbeaten run which has taken them to the brink of the top half of the National League table.

He wants to continue climbing, and added: “I think the players have shown a little bit more self-belief – in themselves and in the unit.

“There are a lot of big games for us to play still. Braintree have had a fabulous season and they’ve got aspirations of getting in the play-offs but, once again, the lads are starting to concentrate on our mind-set and what we do.

“If our mind-set is right, then we will affect the game in a positive way and I’ve said we will give anybody a good game now.

“There are still a million-and-one things we can improve on and get better at.

“One of our goals was to get to 50 points. We have achieved that. The next small goal is, if we can, to try and break into the top half of the table.

“If we were to achieve that, games are running out, but we will see where that takes us from there.

“It’s about small steps, one at a time. We’ve come a long way very quickly and the boys are on a steep learning curve, showing a fantastic attitude and mind-set towards the game. Let’s see if we can continue that consistency between now and the end of the season.”

The Bluebirds Supporters Trust have organised a question and answer session with Barrow AFC boss Paul Cox and his assistant Gary Simpson on Friday.

It will take place in the Crossbar, starting at 6.45pm. Doors and the bar will open at 6pm.

Questions from supporters who cannot make the event can be submitted via the Bluebirds Supporters Trust website.

These will be asked first on the night and, after a short break, Cox and Simpson will take questions from the floor.

Voting is now open for the Barrow AFC player-of-the-year awards.

The ceremony will be held after Saturday’s match against Macclesfield, starting at approximately 5.30pm in the Crossbar.

Voting takes place online at www.barrowafc.com and there are also a small number of paper voting slips available from reception at Holker Street.