Barrow AFC will be playing in front of a national audience when they face Bromley at Holker Street tomorrow evening, with manager Ian Evatt believing his team still need to change people’s minds about them.

The Bluebirds were not one of the pre-season promotion favourites in the National League, but they have led the way since defeating Notts County on their own patch on November 16.

This will be the first time one of their games has been shown live on BT Sport since then (their match at Solihull was postponed last month) and it comes against one of their fellow contenders at the top.

Bromley led the way earlier in the campaign, but they would go eight points behind AFC, having played two games more, should Evatt’s side complete a league double over the Ravens.

Evatt said: “It’s been two months we’ve been at the top for, which is great, though I think if you ask the media around the league - people who haven’t really seen much of us - they’re just waiting for us to slip up, and we haven’t slipped up as yet.

“I hope on Saturday that we can go out there and really put on a show for the nation that can showcase my boys’ talents and the way that they can play.

“If we do that, then I’m sure we’ll get the right result, but we can’t be complacent. We have to go out there and do the right things, play expansive, attacking, fear-free football, which will hopefully get us the right result on the day.”

The tables have been turned since the teams’ last meeting at Hayes Lane back in October, when it was Bromley who were top of the table and defending an impressive unbeaten run on their own patch.

Barrow were no respecters of reputation back then, as they won 2-1 with a comprehensive away performance that formed part of just the third seven-match winning run in the league in the club’s history.

Evatt said: “I think that game was a moment where we kind of realised that when we play to our strengths and when we play to the best of our abilities, there isn’t another team that can match us, in my opinion.

“And after that, when the game was against who were the leaders at the time, you build momentum and you build confidence and you start believing what I had been telling them.

“I think since then - well, before then as well, but since then, definitely - the lads have been playing with such confidence that we’ve really kicked on.”

The Bluebirds have also been boosted by the news this week that defender Matt Platt will definitely be remaining on loan from Blackburn Rovers for the rest of the season and midfielder Tom White has extended his spell from the Championship club for the same duration.

Platt has been a rock at the back ever since his debut in September, while White has reminded everyone why he was so sought after during last summer, when he left financially-stricken Gateshead.

“It’s significant for us,” Evatt said. “They’re two fantastic young players who have really blossomed in our team and I have to say a massive thanks to Blackburn, Tony Mowbray and Mark McGuinness for this.

“I’ve said many times that it wasn’t about who we signed in January, it was about keeping the ones we’ve got and it looks to me like we’ve done that, so I’m really happy about that.”