FC Isle of Man manager Paul Jones has said his side were ‘their own worse enemies’ after the Ravens lost further ground in the NWCFL Premier Division’s promotion race at the weekend.

The Manx side drew 1-1 with Barnoldswick Town on Saturday to slip nine points behind Irlam in the league’s final play-off spot.

After the draw at the Bowl, a dejected Jones said: ‘I’m not particularly happy. Barnoldswick have not particularly created much in the first half and it’s been our own slack play that yet again has given away a goal.

‘We’re trying to build something and progress, and things like that really don’t help us.

‘We had opportunities that we should be scoring as well so in many ways they’re their own worse enemy for large parts of the game.

‘Too many people were not doing what we would expect them to do - we were too far off it.

‘We should be winning games of football like that if we are serious about what we’re trying to do.

‘I believe in the players so much and I think we can be a lot better than that.‘

Jones and his coaching team will be looking for an improved performance on Saturday evening when Lancashire outfit Colne visit the Bowl.

The pair drew the reverse fixture 1-1 back in August, with Dean Pinnington grabbing the Manx side’s goal.

The weekend’s visitors, however, are currently bottom of the standings and have only won once since the turn of the year.

Nevertheless, the league’s least prolific goalscorers are only at the foot of the league on goal difference, and a win on Saturday teatime would potentially lift them out of the division’s relegation spots.

With several of the teams above them having games in hand, the Ravens will need to keep winning if they are to sneak into play-off spots.