PAUL Cox admitted he was prepared to throw caution to the wind to get a result after the introduction of Richie Bennett proved crucial in helping the Bluebirds come away from Torquay with a point.

Bennett scored the equaliser in the 90th minute as Barrow claimed a 1-1 draw at Plainmoor.

They had trailed to a first-half Brett Williams striker which seemed to have given the Gulls victory, before Bennett, Andy Haworth and Lindon Meikle all came off the bench.

“I had to throw caution to the wind, we put pace out wide, we put trickery out wide, we put Richie Bennett on and stuck Jordan Williams up top because I think sometimes you have to show people that you are willing to do anything take a chance to try and get a result,” said Cox.

“He (Bennett) has worked really hard, he’s had to be patient – he’s another one like Jordan Williams who we’ve brought in from the lower leagues and he did himself no harm at all today not just with his goal, but with the way he affected their back four once he came on. Overall, I thought he was excellent.

“I’m not a big-name manager, I’m not even a name manager, it doesn’t matter to me who you are or where you’ve come from – the product out there has to be hard work and you have to show the desire and application for the people who’ve travelled to watch you and have paid to watch you.”

Although the Bluebirds only have four points from their opening three games, Cox has urged the Bluebirds’ faithful to remain patient ahead of tomorrow’s home match against Chester – reminding them that his sides are notoriously slow starters to league campaign.

“I did a fans’ forum recently and I said I don’t expect a good start to the season because I never start a season well, however I’ve worked with some good chairmen who’ve been patient with me at this stage of the season and we’ve always achieved the goals that we’ve set out at the start to achieve at the end of the season,” Cox added.

“This league gets tougher and tougher every year and anybody who thinks that you can just stroll through it is quickly brought down to earth.”

Cox also paid tribute to his former club, who retained their National League status last season following a revival in the second half of the campaign.

He said: “They (Torquay) are a club who’ve had a shot in the arm, Nicho (Kevin Nicholson, the United manager) has been working them hard and they are going to be a tough club to come down and play against. There are no easy games at this level.”