Captain Josh Granite is pleased Barrow AFC have been given three teams who finished in the play-offs last season to begin their National League campaign, due to their recent record against teams like that.

Tomorrow's opponents Wrexham were one of the division's high-flyers the Bluebirds got the better of in what was Granite's first season with them, but their record against the teams in the bottom half wasn't quite as impressive.

It is that inconsistent form that eventually led to AFC finishing tenth and Granite is hoping facing the Dragons first will help focus the players' minds and get them to produce the sort of performance that allows them to be a match for anyone.

Granite said: "It is a really tough start, but there are no easy games in the league and you've got to play everybody twice, regardless of whether that's at the start of the season or whenever it might be.

"We know the task ahead and we know that if we turn up and we perform then we're more of a match for anyone in this league.

"I'd back us to beat anybody, home or away, as long as we're performing."

Granite featured in all but one of the Bluebirds' pre-season friendlies and is fully up to speed for the trip to the Racecourse Ground.

The 27-year-old is now hoping his second year at Holker Street won't be as disrupted as his first, as problems with toe and ankle injuries restricted him to 30 appearances.

Granite said: "I had a full pre-season last year as well and I played in the first nine or ten games and didn't miss a minute and then I had my ankle injury and from then it was very frustrating.

"I feel good, I feel fit and I feel strong. We've got a really good group of players, so we're really excited and we need to get a good result at Wrexham and follow that up next Tuesday with the first game at Holker Street [against Harrogate]. Hopefully, that can set us off for a good August and we can kick on from there."

Last season's superb 3-1 victory at the Racecourse Ground was one of the matches Granite had to miss - such was AFC's injury situation at the time, midfielder Jason Taylor had to move into defence.

Granite is now keen on helping Barrow produce a repeat performance, saying: "I was sat with the other lads on the bench and the management and we performed really well.

"I feel like we did perform against the bigger teams last year, while we came unstuck against the 'lesser' teams towards the bottom of the table, who sort of sat back and tried to hit us on the counter attack.

"I'm looking forward to a good game at Wrexham and we need to go there and get something."