Barrow AFC manager Ian Evatt revealed that a tight hamstring was the reason attacker Josh Kay had to be substituted at half-time of Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Ebbsfleet United.

Kay, who scored his first goal for the Bluebirds with a 90th-minute winner at Sutton United the previous week, was replaced by Jacob Blyth for the second half of what was a physical encounter at Holker Street.

Evatt said: “To be honest, he’d had a slight hamstring strain all week after last Saturday.

“We though he’d be able to get through it, but it was getting sore again, so we decided not to take any risks and took him off so he didn’t injure it badly.”

After being denied by a good save from Fleet goalkeeper Nathan Ashmore in the early stages, Kay was caught by a poor challenge in midfield that referee David Richardson didn’t deem worthy of a booking.

Evatt, who saw five of his players shown a yellow card, said: “If you’re going to start booking players, you need to be consistent with that.

“Dior Angus got fouled on the edge of the box, going in for a shot – how that’s not a yellow card I’m not sure. Josh Kay, on the counter attack, broke past two players, they’ve hacked him down and that wasn’t a yellow card.

“Then Jason Taylor tries to intercept the ball, catches their player, admittedly, but [the referee] books him and doesn’t book the other two.”