Reality Bites Hard in the Lakes

Four years ago we enjoyed a great laugh at Dave Bayliss' expense. He managed the humiliating feat of getting sent off against us while he was on loan from us! Rejected, then he bombs out in public! Well, who's laughing now?

Barrow's victory over Wrexham tonight doesn't guarantee safety for Bayliss' side, of course, but it's a huge result for them. And, sadly, for us.

Once more we've played a side into form. Once more a side which hasn't won for ages in the Conference has broken the drought against us. Once more we seem to be something of a pushover.

Sadly, there was a familiar inevitability to it all. When we took the lead, did you really have confidence in us finishing the job off? Did you actually think we'd keep a clean sheet at last? The only surprise was that we took the lead in the first place.

This isn't not how being a "big" team in the Conference was supposed to be. We need to be feared; instead, teams must be desperate to line up against us.

And to think, just a couple of days ago we were about to launch a late charge into the play-offs!