BARROW are the visitors to the Racecourse on Thursday evening (7.45pm) with both clubs desperate for the points.

The Cumbrians have lifted themselves about the relegation zone thanks to wins over Histon (1-0), Lewes (2-0) and Weymouth (3-0), which has given them a little bit of breathing space at just the right time.

There is a definite Wrexham connection with Dave Bayliss one of their co-managers, who along with Darren Sheridan, has lifted the club up from Blue Square North thanks to a play-off victory last May.

This season was always going to be a tough one, but the Bluebirds have been competitive throughout the campaign.

To help their task, they have recruited two more Racecourse players on loan - first in was defender Simon Spender and then he was joined from Rochdale by striker Lee McEvilly.

Yet neither will be in action against us, with Simon's loan agreement meaning he wouldn't play and then Evil getting a second yellow in front of the TV cameras at the Wessex Stadium last Sunday, to earn himself an immediate two-match ban!

They will though have Scottish hitman Jason Walker back, after his has served out a four-match ban!

His scored for Barrow against us at Holker Street on Boxing Day, after we had dominated the game and failed to find the net - meaning it took a 93rd minute equaliser from Jefferson Louis to finally get us something from the game.

The return fixture at the Racecourse was due for New Year's Day, but was postponed due to Barrow's FA Cup visit to Middlesbrough and then several times since due to Barrow's involvement in the Setanta Shield.

While our hopes of a play-off berth have been hit of late, Barrow's bid to beat the drop has been further strengthened by results on Tuesday night.

York City lost 2-0 against Stevenage at KitKat Crescent in an FA Trophy final dress rehearsal, while Grays Athletic managed only a point from a goalless home draw with Rushden and Diamonds.

It means Barrow remain in 17th place, still four places above the bottom-four relegation zone.

Woking and Grays currently occupy the two drop zone spots alongside the doomed Lewes and Northwich.

Grays' point last night means Barrow are now two points above the relegation zone but have two games in hand over fourth-bottom Grays and one over third-bottom Woking, whom the Bluebirds face at Holker Street on Saturday.

The Bluebirds have a few more problems joint-managers Bayliss and Sheridan serving touchline bans at Wrexham and Woking, while Mark Boyd picked up his 10th booking of the season at the weekend and as a result has been slapped with a two-game ban by the FA starting next week

Meanwhile, skipper and centre-half Steve Jones, whose two goals helped Barrow beat Weymouth 3-0 in front of the live television cameras on Sunday, said: "There was a great mood on the bus on the way back and some of the lads were talking about how many points we might need.

"I still think we are definitely going to need two or three wins. We've got to target at least 50 points and take it from there."

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