To some Cumbrian football fans the latest League Two form ratings make grim reading.
The two senior sides in the county occupy 23rd and 24th places in the table, the only two in the Division without a win in their last six games.
Indeed that winless record stretches even further for both Barrow (8) and Carlisle (12) who are increasingly being drawn into a relegation battle.
Even bottom of the table Scunthorpe have a win and three draws in their last six games to suggest they could be off the bottom soon.
Both Cumbrian clubs have drawn three and lost three of their last six League games.
In that spell Barrow have scored only four goals and conceded eight while Carlisle’s is marginally worse with just three goals and nine against.
At least Cup competitions have provided some evidence that both clubs are capable of winning matches again as they have collected victories in the Papa John’s Trophy and more importantly the FA Cup.
Carlisle in fact progressed in the much-maligned Papa John’s Trophy and face Lincoln City next Tuesday at Brunton Park and follow-up with an FA Cup second round tie against Shrewsbury Town, also at home, on December 4.
Barrow did register a win in their final fixture of the Papa John’s, beating Leicester City Under-23’s but it was a dead rubber and they failed to qualify.
However, in the FA Cup, following a good win at non-League Banbury, they travel to Ipswich Town on December 4.
