Manager Ian Evatt is hoping the decisions made by officials during Barrow AFC’s games will eventually even themselves out, after becoming frustrated at some of the recent calls that have gone against his team.

The Bluebirds came away from last Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Ebbsfleet United with five yellow cards and feeling referee David Richardson hadn’t been consistent in his decision-making.

They are also having to do without defender Sam Hird, who has two matches remaining in a three-game ban that was issued retrospectively, following an off-the-ball incident in the victory at Sutton United.

AFC’s annoyances include cynical tackles on Dior Angus and Josh Kay not being punished by yellow cards and not having a late penalty given for goalkeeper Nathan Ashmore’s challenge on Jack Hindle.

Evatt said: “There comes a point where you need to start asking questions.

“We’ve had four or five blatant penalties turned down of late, but it’s not just that. We’ve had retrospective issues with Sam where an assessor somehow manages to spot an incident that referee clearly saw and dealt with.

“Then you’ve got this issue with a stamp on one of our players on Saturday and a penalty and a disallowed goal.

“There comes a point where I’d like to think that we’ll start to get some of these decisions go towards us.

“They say these things even themselves out, so if they do, I’ll take it that we’ll be getting a lot of penalties in those last ten or 11 games.”

Evatt was pleased with the way his team continued to try and play their style of football against Ebbsfleet in the face of the Kent side’s disruptive tactics, which he takes as a compliment.

He said: “I just think sometimes that the respect we get as a football team, people realise that if they went toe-to-toe with us then it’s likely that they’re going to get beat, so they try to do what they can to try and get an advantage.

“If that’s the case then we need to rise above that and carry on doing our thing, but also we rely on getting protection from the officials and we didn’t get that.

“I thought we were trying to play in the right way and I just think they came with a game plan to frustrate and spoil, sit very deep and make it very difficult for us.”