“WE did not run hard enough or tackle hard enough.”

That was the simple message from head coach James Ford after his York City Knights side lost 28-0 at Barrow in their opening match of the Kingstone Press League One campaign.

The new-look Knights had been big underdogs against one of the favourites for promotion but Ford dismissed the youthfulness in his squad as an excuse, saying they were good enough to take the points and needed to develop a winning mentality sooner rather than later.

The result – Barrow were 20-0 up after a one-sided first half and sealed victory with two late tries - made it 11 straight defeats to the Cumbrians in a run stretching back to 2007.

Ford said: “You start by running hard and tackling hard, and all the technical things come after that.

“We weren’t tackling hard enough. We had prepared for it all week, that physical contest, but we weren’t good enough in the first half.

“Some decisions went against us but that’s rugby league. We did not run hard enough or tackle hard enough.

“In the second half we were a lot better. We ran harder and tackled harder and could have scored a couple of tries.

“The positive is we’ve come to probably the hardest place in the competition - here and Toronto - and in the second half we probably shaded it, so I know we can do it.

“This ‘young side’ thing doesn’t come into it. I want to win. They should want to win. Sooner or later their mentality must be the same. I want to win these games.

“The minimum standard is you run as hard as you can and you tackle as hard as you can.”

Asked if the heavy conditions helped Barrow’s big pack, Ford said: “Both teams had to play the same conditions. Our back five are important for us – they are good coming out of yardage and they are dangerous on the edges. But Barrow like to play open rugby league as well.

“Their skill levels are a lot better in these conditions because they’re penetrating the line.

“The message from me is simple: run harder and tackle harder and be smarter with discipline. On a few occasions we’ve come up with really naïve penalties to let Barrow out.

“Rugby league is played by tough men who run hard and tackle hard and I did not see enough of that.

“It’s a tough learning curve for us, coming to a place like this. It’s not a friendly environment to learn in, by getting whacked.”

Asked if Barrow were just bigger and stronger, Ford said: “I don’t buy it. Wigan (Super League champions) aren’t the biggest but their mentality is ‘I’m going to tackle you as hard as I can’. That mentality has to come through and I know we’ve got it but I didn’t see enough of it.”

Ford also refused to use age and inexperience as an excuse for the defeat.

“This team has ability, it has athletic, skilful players. In the second half we were probably the better team.

“I know they can do it. They should not need a half-time (team talk) to come out and run hard and tackle hard.”

Ford was not happy with much of the refereeing but said: “That did not cost us the game. Barrow deserved to win because they got on the front foot in the first half as they ran harder and they were disciplined when they got in our 20 and did not give away naïve penalties.”

He added: “Other teams will come here and struggle more than that. But I’m not interested in other teams. I’m interested in my team and instilling a mentality that this club deserves.”