A RESURGENT inner-belief on the back of a five-game unbeaten run carries Barrow AFC into action at National League table-toppers Lincoln City tomorrow.

The Bluebirds travel to Sincil Bank on the back of Tuesday’s impressive 4-1 dismantling of Southport and without a loss since the 3-1 reversal at Dover Athletic on August 20.

Manager Paul Cox is hopeful there will be no repeat of that result, nor the 2-0 loss at then-leaders Tranmere – the only two defeats on the AFC record so far this season – with confidence having built up steadily in recent weeks.

Tuesday’s win – which featured a brace from Byron Harrison and goals for Richie Bennett and Liam Hughes – came on the back of home draws against Bromley and Boreham Wood, and victories over Braintree Town and North Ferriby United over the August bank holiday weekend.

That five-game run, which has lifted Barrow to seventh in the table, level on points with Macclesfield Town in the final play-off spot, has Cox confident the right mind-set in building in his squad.

“I hope we’ve learnt from when we have gone into games like this in the past and we don’t play the occasion, we play the game,” said Cox.

“We’ve got our weaknesses and we’ve got our strengths. So have Lincoln and so have every team in this league. It’s about imposing ourselves on the game and that’s what we want to do. I want the boys to believe in what we do and, as soon as we do that, it becomes a very potent mixture within the team.

“We had it last year, it developed last year, where you go into games thinking you’re not going to lose.

“We’re looking forward to it and I hope it’s a good day for us.”

He added: “I think since we went away to Tranmere early in the season and when we went to Dover, that some of the performances in between – don’t get me wrong, they haven’t been complete performances – show we are developing more inner-confidence in what we are about. I think that goes a long way in building our psychology as a group.

“Sometimes when you go to places, you have to have that inner belief that you can achieve. I thought our performance at Tranmere was one of a team that was submissive. We’re not good when we are like that, we’re good when we play on the front foot, and when we believe in ourselves and go with a really string mind-set. I think that has developed.

“We’ve not picked up maximum points in the two home games (the 1-1 draws against Bromley and Boreham Wood), but I am slowly seeing us develop.

“I think we’re ahead of where I thought we would be and it has surprised me. But, once again, I would say there is an awful lot more to come from these players. Tuesday night’s performance was good, but I still think there are some things in our game we can improve on.

“Technically, tactically, all those things are okay, but mentally we look as those we are improving.”

Cox has played down talks of a rivalry with Lincoln after Barrow’s pursuit of striker Matt Rhead was rebuffed both in January and again this summer.

There were suggestions from some associated with the Imps that AFC had shown some temerity in even approaching them for the attacker last season, but the Bluebirds then finished above City in the final standings.

All that is past as far as Cox is concerned and he is just ready to face a tough Danny Cowley team, who are six games unbeaten.

“Lincoln seem to have really thrown a lot of resources at a new management team and they see it as an opportunity to get promoted,” said the Barrow boss.

“Our rivalry on Saturday will be no different to when we played at Southport. There is nothing in my mind-set that is different. We have always gone about our business with any football club in a professional manner and done everything right.

“I’ve had players at Lincoln whom I have worked with for a long time in the past, for 90 minutes on Saturday they understand me and I understand them. We know we are going to be competing with each other. It’s football at the end of the day and in the 90 minutes I expect it to be competitive, but after the game I have always invited managers in for a glass of wine, a beer or a Coke, and I’m sure it will be no different with Danny or with anybody at Lincoln.

“I don’t see any real rivalry. It’s a fixture we are looking forward to, I’m sure it’s a fixture that Lincoln are looking forward to, and I would think it would be a very competitive game.”

Cox will have the same squad at his disposal tomorrow as featured in the triumph at Southport.

Captain Danny Livesey picked up a knock to the head which required stitches, but he is fit to make the trip to Sincil Bank.

“Dan had another three stitches,” Cox said. “We kind of laughed about it, because he’s having so many stitches and knocks. But I think that epitomises what he does for this football club. He puts himself on the line and he is a proper, real defender.”