Gary Brabin had mixed feelings after today's game; pleased with the result but disappointed that Barrow's goal was not disallowed and to see player-assistant Paul Carden limping out of the game with an injury.

Lee McEvilly put United ahead when he tucked home the rebound after Felino Jardim's shot was saved, Barrow equalised on 36 when Paul Tait looped a header home, and Wayne Hatswell produced a near repeat of last season's 'goal of the season' with a 40-yard free kick to restore the lead five minutes before half-time.

"It's a good start but I knew it was going to be tough and messy today," Brabin commented. "Barrow have been on a run for the last four or five months and you have to respect that and you can't take that lightly; I knew it was going to be hard and they got everyone behind the ball and they tried to frustrate us.

"I was very, very disappointed at their goal," he added. "I thought it was an obvious foul, which I think everyone could see, and it got them back in the game but then we had a great strike from Wayne Hatswell that gave us a deserved lead.

"I thought we started playing better football the longer the game went on," he added. "We're only three games into the season and first and foremost I want us to show resilience, which I think we have been showing, and I'm confident that the football will just keep coming.

"It was frustrating that we couldn't find another goal but you always find at the start of the season - especially with the teams we've played, Northwich and Barrow - that their momentum from last season means they come out at 100 miles an hour at the beginning of the season.

"It takes a few games to settle down and I don't think we could have had any tougher opposition in the first few games of the season than Northwich and Barrow. They were the two that I thought we'd have to be on our mettle with and I'm pleased with the lads over the three games."

At the end of a week in which it was confirmed that Andy Parkinson could miss the whole season and Courtney Pitt will miss the next three months, there was further bad injury news when Brabin revealed why player-assistant Paul Carden was replaced at half-time.

"Someone's trying their best to injure all my players at the moment," he said ruefully . "He's twisted his ankle ligaments so that's another blow, but we've got to keep picking ourselves up, dusting ourselves down and getting on with it."

The three wins put United at the top of the table with a 100% record but Brabin warned, "It's early days. I'm just pleased that we're carrying on with what I've wanted from day one, and now we're playing for points so it's an added bonus.

"There are little things I'm disappointed with but we'll be working on them every day and every game. Some things are out of hands," he added.

"I don't want to get into the habit of mentioning refereeing performances but I think the last two, especially last week - he's a good referee and I know they don't do it on purpose but he didn't have one of his best games and that didn't help. And today I thought their goal was a definite foul and it put us under pressure; all the mistakes referees are making seem to be in our final third and put us under pressure.

"But overall I'm made up with the attitude of the lads," concluded the U's boss.

The U's are next in action at Blue Square South play-off winners Eastbourne Borough next Saturday 23rd (3pm).

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