BYRON Harrison knows Barrow AFC need to start turning draws into wins at Holker Street.

Harrison netted an injury-time equaliser in the Bluebirds’ last home game against Torquay, to maintain their unbeaten record on their own patch.

But among those six matches have been four draws, with victories against Woking and Boreham Wood their only three-point hauls of the campaign to date home or away.

Maidstone United make the long trip to Furness from Kent tomorrow looking to end AFC’s unblemished home run, but Harrison – who scored twice in the 3-2 defeat at Sutton United last weekend – is looking more towards three points for the home team (3pm kick-off).

“We have to continue not being beaten, but at the same time we have to turn draws into wins,” said the 30-year-old, who was Barrow’s joint-top-scorer last season, with Richie Bennett. “Drawing too many games is like taking losses over the long-term. That’s what we will be looking to improve on.”

Barrow welcome a Maidstone side sitting just outside the play-off places in ninth spot in the National League, and unbeaten in their last four games.

A 2-2 home draw against Gateshead – when they saw a two-goal lead evaporate against the 10 men of their visitors – came after three back-to-back wins, and they have beaten Macclesfield and Eastleigh in their last two away games.

Barrow, in contrast, have not won in their four games – since that 2-1 success against Boreham Wood, when Jack Barthram and Bedsente Gomis hit the target. Barthram is one of a clutch of players to have been injured since then – though he is in contention to return this weekend. Moussa Diarra and Adi Yussuf (both hamstring) are still some weeks away from a comeback, while Thierry Audel (broken arm) and Dave Nieskens (knee) are also long-term absentees.

With that group having been sidelined, it has been difficult for manager Micky Moore to put together a full squad of 16 on match-days – especially during Alex-Ray Harvey’s three-match suspension – but Harrison refuses to see that as an excuse for the team’s form.

“We’ve been very unlucky with injuries, and that hasn’t obviously helped the manager,” said Harrison. “But that’s something in football that you have to deal with. No-one is going to feel sorry for us, and we can’t feel sorry for ourselves – we need to pick up results with the players we have available.”

While Moore has added to his defensive ranks in recent weeks by bringing in Jordon Thompson, Paul Bignot and Tony Diagne to cover the are of the squad most in need, Harrison’s return has brought him into a front-line with new faces to him.

Neither Yussuf nor Jordan White were with AFC when Harrison was last a regular last season, but the former Chesterfield and Stevenage man is impressed with the forward line options available to the team.

“Like last year, it provides good competition and it gives us a good array of different strengths and weaknesses,” said Harrison, who played alongside Bennett and Ross Hannah last season before an ankle injury all-but ended his campaign in January. “I don’t think any of the strikers here are the same kind of strikers, and that works to give the manager options.

“I think the new strikers are good and have adapted well. Jordan has already got three goals and is a big physical presence; Ado, once fit, will show more the glimpses of what we have already seen, he’s a very good striker.

“Harry’s got a lot of ability, and I’m so glad to see him getting the minutes that I feel he even deserved last year.”