‘Another opportunity’ will be the theme of the day at Barrow AFC’s game against Aldershot Town at the Recreation Ground tomorrow.

For the Bluebirds, it’s a chance to finally pick up some momentum after a disappointing first month of the season at the scene of what was a major turning point of their previous campaign.

For Aldershot, it’s about making the most of their second chance in the National League after they were given a reprieve from relegation due to Gateshead’s financial turmoil leading to their demotion during the summer.

Even at this early stage of the season, it’s important for AFC to pick up their first away win of the season, as it would leapfrog them about their opponents in the table and out of the bottom four.

Manager Ian Evatt said: “Football is cruel at times, but it always gives you another opportunity and we’ve got that on Saturday.

“The lads are hurting, really hurting, and I feel for them because I don’t think they’re getting what they deserve at the minute.

“We’re all hurting, but we have to come out as a wounded animal and come out fighting and swinging and I’m sure we’ll do that on Saturday.”

Barrow are going into the game off their third consecutive defeat after they were hit by a smash and grab raid from Hartlepool United in their 1-0 loss at Holker Street on Tuesday night.

Their current losing streak as half the length of the one they endured before their previous trip to Aldershot last November.

That day, they came back from Hampshire with a vital three points thanks to a 2-0 win that was the first of five consecutive clean sheets that hauled them up into mid-table, and signalled the start of them being a much tougher prospect on the road.

Evatt will be aching for a repeat, with his side letting half-time leads slip in all four of their away games so far this season.

Evatt said: “For all our sorrow and feeling sorry for ourselves, with our results, we’re only three points away from where we were last season, at this stage, so we’re not going to press the panic button.

“I think we’ve improved as a team, but we’re just not quite getting over the line. That will change because you’ll have seen that there’s not too much on.

“It’s just about making sure we break the cycle that we’re on at the minute because it’s tough.”

Jack Hindle’s late goal was the one that sealed that morale-boosting victory, but last season’s top scorer has yet to start a game for the Bluebirds this season.

The 25-year-old striker wasn’t even named on the bench for the matches against Woking and Hartlepool and Evatt believes he isn’t seeing the same player that made such a good impact in his first year at the club.

He said: “Jack hasn’t been the same so far this season, including pre-season. I don’t think we’re seeing the same Jack Hindle that we saw last season and he’s needed a bit of a wake-up call and a kick up the backside to get that back because we need him.

“At the moment, until he starts showing me the signs, as he did last season, he’s out of the picture, but there’s a squad of players there who are all fighting for: a) 11 places in the team and b) five substitute positions as well and it’s difficult.”