WORCESTER City’s failure to score goals reared its head again as they were beaten at league leaders Barrow.

Although the Blue and Whites could not be faulted for their resolute defending and commitment to the cause at Holker Street, it is their lack of potency up front that is giving cause for concern.

City have not found the back of the net in four of their seven games so far and only three of their five goals have come from open play.

The 2-1 victory against North Ferriby United, in which Daniel Nti despatched two penalties, remains their only win.

It was the struggle for goals that proved their Achilles heel last season, with a stubborn defence often coming to their rescue.

That trend has continued despite the addition of Mike Symons and Nick Wright to the strike-force.

While there is no need to panic, it is a situation that has to change sooner rather than later if this squad is to realise its potential.

For they certainly have that. There is no doubt that City are stronger than last term but that counts for nothing if the results don’t improve.

This may sound harsh coming after a narrow defeat at the home of the leaders, who were protecting a 100 per cent record, but Worcester were always in the game, as they have been in every fixture.

Carl Heeley’s side restricted a big-spending Bluebirds outfit that had scored eight goals in their previous two home games to just one shot on goal.

But that was all they needed as Andy Cook held off Jacob Rowe to rifle the ball across Nathan Vaughan into the net for his seventh goal of the campaign.

Barrow, roared on by a crowd of more than 1,700, forged other openings but Jason Walker and Cook, twice, sent the ball the wrong side of the post.

But tame strikes in each half from Nti and Connor Gater, which were comfortably gobbled up by Tony McMillan, were all City could muster in response.

How they would have loved to spoil Barrow’s party, the Cumbrians celebrating the takeover of millionaire Paul Casson and Darren Edmondson, the newly-crowned manager of the month.

Not that it was for a lack of effort. Far from it, as City gave as good as they got throughout and put together some neat passages of play, with Gater often at the heart of them.

The goal apart, Rowe again showed he is more than an able deputy for Wayne Thomas, missing through the after-effects of the head injury sustained against North Ferriby, while Graham Hutchison was excellent.

City threw on David McDermott and Daniel Udoh in an attempt to force an equaliser but there was no Tristan Dunkley, the catalyst against North Ferriby, who was absent through illness.