Barrow AFC manager Ian Evatt is hoping his players can tough out what has been a difficult start to the season, stating that his patience is wearing thin with some of those currently in the team.

The Bluebirds go into this evening’s home game against Yeovil Town having lost three out of their first four games - the latest being Tuesday’s 3-2 loss at Stockport - during which they have struggled to keep the ball out of their net.

Evatt is trying to get to the bottom of why the ‘soft centre’ that blighted the first few months of the last campaign has made a comeback this month, particularly in the second half against the Hatters.

Evatt said: “This is a man’s game and if you don’t ‘man up’ and tough it out, the game finds you out really quickly.

“We’ve got a squad of players now and there are players who are waiting patiently for their opportunity and there are only so many times we can give players chance after chance after chance.

“There comes a time where we have to change it and bring the other lads in and give them an opportunity.

“Jack Hindle, for instance, was our top scorer last season. He’s out of the team at the moment because of the way he’s been playing and training, but I have firm belief that he would have scored at Stockport if I had given them an opportunity.

“Jack will have chances again and when he plays he needs to make sure he takes his chances, as does everyone else because there’s massive competition for places now.”

Bucket collections will be made around Holker Street during today’s game for the JE3 Foundation, the charity set up in honour of the late Leyton Orient manager Justin Edinburgh.