The Lambs brought their pre-season campaign home for the first time, with the visit of EFL League Two side Barrow. The Lambs and Bluebirds last met in the 2014-15 season in the then Conference North and the Tamworth have only beaten the Cumbrian side twice in 14 competitive fixtures over the years.
Bluebirds boss Andy Whing, previously with Solihull Moors, was quoted in the build up to the match as expecting a ‘good test’ against Andy Peaks’ home squad, unbeaten in their four previous pre-season games.
After a rain soaked morning finally breaking and with a recently re-crumbed pitch Peaks shuffled his starting eleven with new most recent signing Manny Duku starting the first half.
The Lambs got the game underway attacking the Meadow Street end in the first half and after dealing with an early visitors freekick which Canavan met past the far post but direct well wide, The Lambs forged down the right with Tonks going into the box after a neat one two. However his resulting cross was too strong to do any danger.
Ponticelli made a surging run out of midfield and found McGlinchey on 10 but his cross was blocked and when Roberts beat his man in the left channel on 11 it took a shirt pull to halt The Lambs run.
A long high ball aimed for Duku was only just cut out by the outrushing Winterbottom on 15 and Singh’s first real touch of the ball came on 19 when Jackson fired low at the keeper from 18 yards.
Tenacity on behalf of The Lambs midfield kept them in possession in the final third on 22, and it fell to Duku on the edge of the box but his low strike skipped just past the left hand upright.
Chapman cut out a low cross from Duku aimed for Ponticelli on 26 but the visitors took the lead on 28 when Jackson crossed from the right and Cameron calmly headed home past Singh into the near corner. (0-1, 28 mins)
From a Tonks freekick the ball fell to Roberts but his on target effort was blocked in a crowded box and ballooned to safety on 30 before a chance for a drinks break presented itself after Duku was brought down midway in the Barrow half.
A Barrow corner on 40 was headed behind under pressure from Cullinane-Liburd, and another Tonks set piece, fro the right on 42 was touched behind and away from Duku for a Lambs flagkick, but a foul prevented Roberts ball back in from being stabbed home for the equaliser.

HT: 0-1

Both sides made at least one change at the break, and The Bluebirds restarted the game in welcome sunshine.
And from a Jackson corner on 50, Earing nodded the ball back towards goal and Tonks couldn’t prevent it going in to double their advantage. (0-2, 50 mins)
The Lambs made half a dozen changes on the hour, and Barrow used all of their available bench too and Riley, Wyatt and ‘Trialist’ all tried to tested or tried to test the new keeper, with a couple of very good efforts just going a whisker wide.
Sayer sent in a teasing cross from the right on 79, met by the head of Hollis, but he headed over the target from 12 yards and the goal at his mercy.
Sayer forced the keeper to punch his corner away but Milnes follow up from distance left a lot to be desired, nestling in the top of a tree behind the Castle End goal on 83!
And the same player struck low from distance to force the keeper into a low stop on 85, before Barrow made their way up field for a couple of corners which were dealt with.
Tamworth finished the game with ten men after Digie has to leave the field for treatment, but there were only seconds remaining until the whistle blew on an enjoyable afternoon of friendly football at The Lamb.

Tamworth:
1st half: Singh, Trialist, Cullinane-Liburd (Digie HT), Hollis, Cockerill-Mollett (Fairlamb HT), Tonks (Riley 60), Bates (Milnes 60), Ponticelli (Wyatt 60), McGlinchey (Sayer 60), Roberts (Mols 60), Duku (Trialist 60)
Subs: Curley

Barrow:
Winterbottom (Trialist GK 60), Foley, Canavan, Raglan (60), Shipley, Booty (Worrall 60), Jackson, Harper, Earing (Kouyate 60), Newby, Mahoney, Cameron
Subs: all used

Referee: Mr. Robert Massey-Ellis
Assistants: Mr. Simon Barrow, Mr. Ravel Cheosiaua (who we would like to wish a happy retirement from refereeing!)

Attendance: 544