BARROW AFC boss Paul Cox is still pushing to add more players to his ranks with less than two weeks left of the January transfer window.

Cox has spoken for weeks about the need to add ‘five or six’ new faces to the Bluebirds squad if they are to maintain their push for promotion from the National League.

So far, only goalkeeper Jon Flatt – from Wolverhampton Wanderers – and midfielder Dan Rowe – from Wycombe Wanderers – have arrived on loan deals until the end of the season.

While this weekend’s opponents York City have made four new signings – bringing in Cheltenham Town duo Amari Morgan-Smith and Daniel Parslow, Wrexham’s Hamza Bencherif and Hull City’s Johan ter Horst in the past 10 days – Barrow’s movement in the transfer market has stalled.

Cox still wants to add to a squad which has just 20 fit and active players – including two goalkeepers in Flatt and back-up Andy Coughlin – if the potential for a play-off place or better is to be realised.

But asked what can be done by himself and others at the club to bring new players in, he said: “That’s planning. It’s an acceptance of where we are, and I think that’s massive. Everyone at this football club now has to accept that we are challengers.

“I speak to a lot of people in and around the club, and some people have given up hope of a championship.

“Why? We’re six points off the top and the team who are top have to come to our place. We play the top five at home.

“What happens in the next two weeks will be key to the development and the progression of the football club, and it will be key to the enjoyment of the second half of the season.”

Barrow face a tough monthahead in the National League and FA Trophy, coming on the back of three recent defeats and a festive period when there were only 14 players available for one fixture, highlighting the lack of depth Cox has available.

The trip to York on Saturday is followed by back-to-back home games against fellow National League high-fliers Lincoln City and Forest Green Rovers.

Both those sides have significantly larger squads than AFC, with Rovers having added to their ranks with the signing of Jake Gosling, though they lost striker Kieffer Moore to Championship side Ipswich for an undisclosed fee.

Lincoln’s January has seen them land Brighton winger Joe Ward and Reading defender Sean Long, with Cox recognising it is tough to compete with clubs who have such deep resources.

He added: “I’ve enquired about a lot of players, and I’ve probably been planning for this stage for six weeks now.

“We’re in a great position to spring from and be consistent. We’ve got some big games in this next month – the next round of the FA Trophy, on TV (against Lincoln) and against some of the best clubs in this league. We’re coming up against teams with 25/30-man squads, and it’s tough sometimes.

“It’s something we have to cope with and just get on with.”

l Barrow’s National League home match against Tranmere Rovers has been rearranged for Tuesday, March 7 (7.45pm kick-off).

The game was postponed from Saturday, February 4 as both teams are still in the FA Trophy.