PAUL Cox knows the importance of Barrow AFC starting to pick up away wins to go with their home successes.

The Bluebirds make the long trip to Kent to face Dover Athletic tomorrow, hoping to build on Tuesday's 3-2 Holker Street success against Chester FC (3pm kick-off).

The midweek victory – secured by a brace from Jordan Williams and a goal from Ross Hannah – made it two from two at home this season for AFC, while they have one draw (at Torquay) and one defeat (at leaders Tranmere) from their travels.

Dover present another tough challenge for Cox and his side, having won their last two encounters – the second against Eastleigh, who then sacked boss Chris Todd, much as Darren Edmondson suffered the axe following defeat against Athletic with Barrow last season.

But Cox knows it is key to start taking more points away from home, and said: “It’s important we start getting some away wins, very important. What I’ve said to the boys though, especially at this stage, is that if you win your home games and draw your away games, it’s promotion form.

“For us to be a little bit more cohesive away from home, we need to be more solid and not play like we did on Tuesday night. It was kamikaze football, defence versus attack and it was who took their chances who was going to win the game.

“We need to get back to that team ethic, that mind-set of no-one being bigger than the group. I’m sure the consistent away performances and results will ultimately follow.”

He added: “We’ve had a positive start and the positivity about it is that we haven’t really played well yet. I don’t think we have compared to what we think this group of players can do. I think there is so much more to come from this group of players, but sometimes they need a little bit of a helping hand, a different mentality bringing into the dressing room, someone with a stronger mind-set, probably somebody who can growl a little bit, who can command respect from how they play. I don’t mean just being technically gifted, I mean somebody who commands respect just through their sheer character.

“It’s that’s mentality I want bringing into the dressing room now. We’ve got technical ability, we’ve got a physical ability, but I want more of a mental ability coming into the squad, somebody who, when the going gets tough, can really pull us together and can really motivate people.”

That toughness ties in with Cox's desire to become a nastier side.

He feels that opponents view them that way before games – likely because of the general height of the AFC line-up – but that the reality is not there in matches.

That is one aspect he felt contributed to Tuesday's match, when Barrow went from 3-0 up with less than 30 minutes remaining to battling to preserve their win following two quick Chester goals.

“Everyone seems to think we're a big, strong, nasty side – and I wish we were,” Cox said. “In two games we have conceded three goals from set-pieces – one at Tranmere and two on Tuesday night.

“It doesn't matter how big you are, it's what's in between your ears, that aggressiveness, that ability to defend your goal and that ability, when you are 3-0 up, to really see out the last half-hour of the game.”