PAUL Cox wants his players to re-concentrate their efforts on their National League push after a week of FA Cup focus.

Barrow AFC head to Woking tomorrow looking to make it 11 games unbeaten in the league, having booked their place in the first round of the cup with victory over Tranmere Rovers (3pm kick-off).

The Cards are just one place above the National League drop-zone, but enjoyed a confidence-boosting FA Cup success of their own in midweek, beating Torquay United 2-1 in a fourth qualifying round replay.

Cox knows his team cannot afford to let up any from their recent efforts – which have seen them beat the likes of Lincoln City and York City and take points off high-fliers Forest Green Rovers and Macclesfield Town.

“I think what we need to do now is refocus,” said the barrow boss ahead of a week which sees them travel to Woking and Wrexham (on Tuesday) for a pair of tricky fixtures. “The energy that surrounds the FA Cup, the excitement and everything that follows it, we've got to put that on the back-burner now.

“The next FA Cup game is a couple of weeks away, and we've got to get down to what is our bread and butter, which is winning league football matches.

“We've got two very tough ones coming up – both away from home and both difficult for different reasons. We've got to focus and get our heads firmly back out of the clouds and our feet back firmly on the ground.

“I just think for our own progression, for our own growth, I think it's very important we don't go there and have it be an anticlimax after the FA Cup.

“We are starting to become very consistent in our play, but we're nowhere near where I want us to be yet. I will be looking for that little chink in the armour of the players' mind-sets and concentration levels, the way we prepare, the way we go about our business. I'll be looking for anybody who thinks that all of a sudden we have arrived.

“We're playing two teams who will be desperate to beat us – for their own points tally and for their own self-esteem. We've got to be prepared for that.”

Cox has still to make a decision on who will replace the suspended Jordan Williams in the Barrow team for tomorrow's match.

Liam Hughes, Alex-Ray Harvey, Lindon Meikle and Andy Haworth are all potential starters, with a final decision set to be made based on training yesterday and today and the assessment of assistant boss Gary Simpson, who watched Woking's FA Cup match on Tuesday night.

Cox would not be drawn on his choice, but said: “I have had thoughts about who will come in, but we will see what happens in training. Simmo was down at Woking on Tuesday and we will talk about them and put together a plan to go and get a positive result there.”

Harry Panayiotou returned from international duty with Saint Kitts and Nevis to take a place on the Barrow bench against Tranmere last week.

Along with Ross Hannah and new signing Dan Cockerline, he must now wait for a chance to feature as Byron Harrison and Richie Bennett hold the starting berths up front.

Asked how far either Panayiotou or Cockerline were from making debut, Cox said: “I don't think I would be doing my two centre-forwards up there any service if I was to talk about dropping them.

“The way I always talk to the squad is 'earn the shirt, keep it, and keep it as long as possible'. The squad will get stronger as we progress – I don't want it to be overly-massive, but I want it to be competitive.

“I always know that there will be a period of time where, not just the centre-forwards, but other people lose their form, get suspended, get injured, and we have to be aware of that.

“Harry, Ross, Cockerline, they have all got to be prepared to take the opportunity when it comes. As will the person coming in for Jordan on Saturday.

“Looking at Jordan, they are quite big boots to fill, but that shouldn't faze anybody in our squad. Everyone knows how I manage – there are no favourites. Someone has to come in and grab the mantle, so I have a really tough decision the Saturday afterwards.”

* Barrow's FA Cup first round clash at Taunton Town will be played on Sunday November 6, with a 2pm kick-off.