TAMWORTH 2 BARROW 3

MARCUS Law was left livid after this defeat last weekend – citing refereeing inconsistencies as his major frustration.

It was not a red card given to Richard Tait that he was debating, but the fact that the Lambs were not getting similar decisions in their favour.

Law said: "We have had four similar tackles here, two have been sending offs and two haven't.

"We have been rightly punished for the tackles that have gone in, I am not debating that.

"What I'm angry about is that the opposition have not been punished.

"We're getting the decisions going against us and that inconsistency is hurting us."

It was not only the inconsistency of the referee that was being debated by fans and management alike.

The inconsistency of the Lambs players was also up for discussion.

At times last weekend, Law's Lambs looked like they were going to end a wretched run of form.

But at other times they also looked like a side who would be lucky to get another one from their next 18 available.

They certainly started brightly enough as Kyle Patterson had just seven minutes to wait before putting the home side in front.

Patterson took advantage of a defensive mistake after Shaun Pearson spilled Callum Wilson's drive to bundle the ball into the back of the net.

That was the good side of Tamworth as the break was quick and incisive with Patterson showing real desire to ensure the ball hit the back of the net.

Four minutes later came the bad side of the Lambs as Duane Courtney, deployed back at centre-half for this game, took too long on the ball before being robbed of it just on the edge of his own area.

Barrow moved the ball well in an attack that ended with Paul Smith volleying home Paul Rutherford's cross from the right.

The ugly side of the Tamworth was then visible on the half hour as Tait was given his marching orders for an alleged two-footed lunge right on the touchline.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Tamworth did not throw in the towel, and in fact were back in front just after the restart.

It was Patterson who was the hero once again as he pounced on some hesitant defending to drill home from 18 yards out.

An injury to the impressive Wilson then seemed to hamper to the Tamworth flow, but that cannot be excused for some poor defending which allowed Barrow back into the game.

First Andy Cook was left unmarked in the box crash home Smith's cross from close range with 11 minutes left.

Then, after seeing his header ruled out for a foul on Joe Collister moments later, Smith struck again to give the visitors all the spoils.

Cook danced through some lacklustre defensive cover to smash past Collister, but really the front-man should have been stopped on route.

Tamworth, unlike may games earlier in the campaign, did not seem to have any fight left to comeback after the goal, as they were left to reflect on another bad day at the office.

Tamworth: Collister, Tait, Courtney, Oji, McDonald (Gudger 31), Patterson, Wilson (Shariff 59), Green, Isaac, Christie (Thomas 58), McKoy. Subs not used: Hedge, Reynolds

Barrow: Pearson, Skelton, Bolland, Baker, Boyes, Smith, Jackson (Cook 61), Lomax, Hone (Moyo 77), Rutherford, Harvey (Nicholas 80). Subs not used: Ferrell, Sheridan

Attendance: 1222

Herald Star Man: Kyle Patterson