FRUSTRATED Barrow boss Mark Cooper has stressed his side need to stick to their identity after being held to a draw by Leyton Orient.

And Cooper wants his side to use this result as a learning curve after being drawn in to Orient’s style of play.

But it just goes to show how far the Bluebirds have come since returning to the Football League last season that they are disappointed with a draw against the sixth-placed side in League Two.

“You have to stick to your identity,” stressed Cooper, after his side missed the chance to make it three league wins on the spin.

“There’s no right way or wrong way to play football.

“It’s food for thought. We need to control the game for larger spells than that.

“I always say that what Leyton Orient do, they do it really well. They’re effective. But if we get away from what we do and start to make the game a percentage game we normally come off the wrong side of it.

“I’m a little bit frustrated because when you go in front you want to see it through.

“We weren’t able to do that, we got caught from a set piece. We didn’t defend a set piece right.

“We didn’t play as well, we got caught up in a bit of a scrap. We didn’t get the ball down, we panicked and we went too long for me.

“We gave Leyton Orient too many chances to stick the ball in our box.”

Summer signing Robbie Gotts grabbed his first goal for the club but the hosts were left gutted after Omar Beckles secured Orient a share of the spoils.

Patrick Brough squandered a glorious chance when he hit the bar.

And shot-stopper Paul Farman, who joined the club from Cumbrian neighbours Carlisle, produced some fine saves to ensure the spoils were shared.

Despite being frustrated at not winning the game, Cooper was pleased his side didn’t crumble under pressure and went on to secure a point.

“It was another battling performance and if you can’t win, don’t lose,” admitted Cooper. “Those 13 or 14 players have had a right go again.

“It’s a great goal from Robbie [Gotts] and then we have a great chance to win the game through [Patrick] Broughy and he’s really frustrated he hasn’t scored.

“He’s hit the bar, he should score and I think that would have been the end of the game.

“We live to fight another day, it’s another point on the scoreboard and we move on.

“You can’t win all the time and if you can’t win don’t lose.

“Paul Farman made a few great saves and that’s what he’s there for.

“He’s a good goalkeeper, but if we keep kicking the ball at the opposition there’s only one thing that’s going to happen and that’s it’s going to come back into your penalty area.

“If we keep doing it then we’ve got to be really good defensively.”