BARROW boss Stephen Clemence admitted a “tough week” caught up with his players after their defeat at Doncaster Rovers.

The Bluebirds travelled to Premier League giants Chelsea in the EFL Cup third round before another long trip to league leaders Gillingham on Saturday.

Their third away game in seven days came at the Keepmoat, where Harry Clifton’s late winner inflicted a second straight league defeat on the injury-hit Bluebirds for the first time this season.

“I'm disappointed, I felt Doncaster deserved to win the game,” admitted Clemence. 

“We’ve just come off the back of three very tough away games. You go to Chelsea, Gillingham and Donny in the space of a week, it’s tough.

“We’ve done a lot of travelling, we’ve been hit hard by injuries. I don’t want to make excuses, but they are facts.

“I think we’re asking a lot of some of the players and it’s in key areas.

“There are some players I’m really struggling to give them a break at the moment, and they really need one.

“When you have a week like that it’s tough. I’ve been a football player, I can remember it.

“When you have three away games on the bounce and a lot of travelling, I know these boys are paid to pay football and that’s the job, but it’s difficult.

“There is a little bit of rotation, and we haven’t even been able to do that.”

The Bluebirds rarely threatened as the hosts, and especially former Sheffield United hitman Billy Sharp, had a number of good chances.

And on the game, Clemence reflected: “I felt we didn’t take part well enough with the ball at times in the game.

“I thought Doncaster were very good. What’s disappointing is they didn’t cut us open second half, it’s just a ball up the channel a set back and someone who’s free in box.

“We’ve got to be better than that.

“I felt the goal might have been coming, so we made some adjustments which helped us.

“We had some moments where on another day it might have fell for us.

“We huffed and puffed really. We’ll have to admit we didn’t quite play well enough.”

Despite a challenging week, it is by far doom and gloom for the club.

They are currently fifth, two points off the automatic promotion places, and have a welcome home game on Saturday against Cheltenham.

“We’ve started the season fine,” added Clemence. “I’d have probably have taken 16 points from eight games and probably nine if I’m honest.

“We’ve probably played four or five of the top nine as well. We’ve played a lot of teams who are up there at this stage.

“It hasn’t been easy, but we’re really looking forward to getting back to Holker Street. We’re going to really need the fans behind us.

“I want to thank the supporters who have done all three away trips, because wow, that is some going.

“It’s brilliant and we really thank them. Hopefully we can give them something to cheer about on Saturday because it’s been a hard few games.”