Ebbsfleet United

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Ebbsfleet Utd v Barrow

Barrow travel to Ebbsfleet in the Blue Square Premier this weekend hoping to make some headway in their plans to avoid the drop.

The Bluebirds are currently fourth from bottom but in a potentially better position than a number of teams around them having played less games.

A number of postponements have meant that Barrow have only played 28 matches compared to the Fleet, who have played 35 and who are only eight points better off.

Joint-manager Dave Bayliss realises the tricky nature of the situation they find themselves in and has therefore set a points target for his team.

He told the North West Evening Mail: "We have a lot of games in hand. If we win them it's an advantage, lose them it's a disadvantage.

"We're going to have a points target now. We'll sit the players down and tell them what the targets are but we'll keep it in-house.

"Ebbsfleet have taken 15 points from the last available 18 and have dragged themselves out of it.

"We can do something like that, I know we have the capabilities and players to do similar."

They come into this tie on the back of a 3-1 win over Gateshead while Barrow lost 2-1 to the same team in their last match.

On-loan Ebbsfleet midfielder Alex Stavrinou is a doubt after injuring his hamstring with Gavin Heeroo on standby to replace him while defender Clint Easton, who had a successful operation on a fractured eye socket, is in recovery but will not be fit in time for this match.

Barrow have Robin Hulbert back in contention after he completed a suspension with striker Gregg Blundell also set to return having recovered from a head injury.