Ian Evatt believes Barrow AFC’s FA Cup defeat at Chorley could serve to speed up the growing-up process of his young squad.

Evatt has named starting line-ups with an average age of below 23 on several occasions this season and occasionally the lack of experience has led to setbacks this season.

It has also meant that the Bluebirds have not got their reward for some of the attractive football they have played since Evatt took charge.

However, the slick passing style of play was nowhere to be seen at Chorley, where they hardly got a kick in what was a woeful second half that saw them cough up a 2-0 half-time lead and crash to a 3-2 defeat.

Evatt is now hoping such a big disappointment will help the younger players develop, as his team look to go some way to making up for it when they face Barnet at Holker Street in the Vanarama National League today.

Evatt said: “You only learn, in all aspects of life, from when you make mistakes.

“We all make mistakes – I probably made mistakes last Saturday by not changing things quicker when the tide of the game was going away from us.

“But we have to take that on the chin and dust ourselves down because it’s part of growing and improving, and I’m certain that the lads will do that.

“I’m certain that we’ll get a very good reaction from them in the league games now.”

Evatt, who is in his first season as a manager, will be coming up against someone with over 35 years of experience in the opposition dugout, in Barnet boss John Still, who has taken three teams into the Football League in the past.

“I don’t know him personally,” Evatt said, adding: “But I do know that he’s very experienced.

“If you’ve been in the game for so long then you’ve obviously been a success at your job, so it’s going to be tough, but if my team shows me what I believe they have got in their locker, then it will be a tough game for Barnet as well.”