Ady Can’t Get His Head Down - But Demands Barrow Players Do

But he remains confident that the curse could finally be lifted on Saturday.

Barrow haven’t won a home game since Pennock’s first game in charge - a conclusive win over Aldershot back in October a day after taking charge.

Since then, they have won seven times in all competitions on their travels - the FA Trophy tie at Nuneaton plus National League success at Maidenhead, Woking, Maidstone, FC Halifax, Eastleigh and Gateshead

It’s a mystery that they can’t get to the bottom of why they are so poor in front of their own fans.

Defeat at home to Hartlepool on Wednesday night in the BT Sport live game after leading was another kick in the teeth.

And the manager needs his players to come up with some answers when Dover visit this weekend.

He told the Barrow News and Mail: “I struggled sleeping last night, because I don't know what else we could do in the situation we're in.

“We're doing everything for them, but the boys have got to step up to the plate.

“I think the fans have been top-drawer, even on Wednesday night. It's not as though the fans are getting on the players' backs during the game.

“I don't hear them saying that they're not fit to wear the shirt – you hear it on the TV when clubs are going through a bad spell, 'you're not fit to wear the shirt' or 'what a load of rubbish'.

“The fans have been brilliant, they've been behind the players, and the players have to realise this. I tell them everyone is behind them, but the players have got to step up to the mark now.”

Pennock is struggling to understand why their Holker Street record is so poor.

“The home form absolutely bamboozles me, it really does,” added the experienced manager. “I struggled sleeping.

“We’re sitting there and saying 'what else can we do?' We can't physically go over that white line and do it for them – they've got to step up and get over it.”