Barrow AFC manager Ian Evatt was at a loss to explain why his players couldn’t replicate their first-half performance after their 4-2 defeat at Harrogate Town.

The Bluebirds were deservedly 1-0 up at half-time thanks to John Rooney’s deflected opener at Wetherby Road, but all assuredness in their game went out of the window after the break.

Having defended reasonably well for 53 minutes, they simply fell apart after Kyle Jameson’s own goal cancelled out their lead.

It was the start of a disastrous five-minute period, where AFC conceded three times against the Yorkshiremen, who turned the game on its head spectacularly to move up to fourth in the National League.

Evatt, whose own side dropped to 14th after their fourth straight defeat, in all competitions, said: “First half to second half was night and day.

“We’ve got to go home, especially the staff, and have a long look at the game and try and figure it out, but for me, at the minute, mentally we are far too weak and we crumble at any type of opposition goal.

“We don’t stand up and be counted and we need more steel in the team, it’s as simple as that, and we need to work hard in bringing some steel in because we are far too soft.”

This was the second away game in a row where Barrow have simply collapsed in the second half, after they allowed a 2-0 lead at Chorley to disappear in the FA Cup just over a week ago.

With the exception of Harrogate’s second – a great finish from Jack Muldoon – the hosts’ goals came far too easily as the Bluebirds visibly wilted.

This came after they had grown into the first half impressively, with Town being the ones glad to hear the half-time whistle after barely being able to muster a chance, beside an early flurry.

Evatt said: “I’m just flabbergasted that I see such differences in the performance from half to half.

“It’s not great, the positive is we are still firmly in mid-table and we’ve got time to put it right.

“That’s the main thing, but for now we’ve got to roll our sleeves up, stand up and be counted, everyone of us, myself included, and get things right and fixed.”