Kurtaran’s late penalty not enough as Barrow end Tamworth’s run
Sunday 11 October 2026 · By Neil Sowerby
Tamworth’s three-game winning run came to an end on Saturday as in-form Barrow won 2–1 at The Lamb Ground. Teo Kurtaran’s 89th-minute penalty set up a nervy finish, but it came too late to rescue a point for Andy Peaks’ side.
The first half was an end-to-end affair, but neither side could find a breakthrough. Barrow goalkeeper Ben Winterbottom made an early stop, and Tamworth’s Rhys Lovett made a fine save at full stretch from a powerful strike by Seb Thompson. Just before the break, Hayden Carson looked to square the ball to Kieren Donnelly, but the striker could not quite get on the end of it.
Tamworth came out with real intensity after the interval, forcing Winterbottom into a series of crucial saves, according to Barrow’s match report. But it was the visitors who took the lead. Lovett collided with Alex Reid in the box, and Barrow captain Rekeem Harper converted the resulting penalty on 51 minutes.
Barrow doubled their lead around the hour mark when Corey Edwards volleyed home after good work from Arian Allen. Tamworth kept pushing, and Kurtaran’s penalty a minute from the end of normal time gave them hope, but Barrow held on for their fifth straight league win.
The defeat ended a promising run for Tamworth. They had beaten Sutton United 2–0 at home and won 1–0 at Hartlepool United in the league, before beating Leeds United Under-21s 1–0 in the National League Cup on 6 October.
Tamworth are now 18th in the Enterprise National League on 14 points from 13 games, two points above the relegation zone. They have won four, drawn two and lost seven of their league games.
The defensive record remains the main concern. Tamworth have conceded 30 league goals, the third-highest total in the division, although they have scored 21, a respectable return for a side in the bottom half. Tightening up at the back will be key if they are to pull clear of danger.
Donnelly has been an important figure since joining from Boston United in the summer, and he will be hoping to return to the scoresheet soon.
Next up is an all-National League FA Cup tie away to Carlisle United on Saturday 17 October. Carlisle drew 0–0 with Kidderminster Harriers on Saturday, and Tamworth will be eager to cause an upset at Brunton Park.
The league resumes with a long trip to bottom club Gateshead on Friday 23 October, with a 7.45pm kick-off. Gateshead have lost seven league games in a row, but they have agreed a takeover deal and will be keen to give their supporters something to cheer. Tamworth then host Scunthorpe United on Tuesday 27 October, before Woking visit on Saturday 31 October.
Those fixtures represent a real opportunity. Games against sides around them in the table will be crucial, and Saturday’s display showed there is plenty of fight in Peaks’ squad. If Tamworth can tighten up defensively, they have the attacking quality to climb the table.
The Lamb Ground, officially the CR MOT Centre Community Stadium at The Lamb, is Tamworth Football Club’s compact home in Kettlebrook. Capacity is about 4,000, with 518 seats in the Main Stand and the rest standing. It has been the Lambs’ ground since 1934, named after the old Lamb Inn by the car park. For visiting supporters it is an old-school non-league afternoon: close to the pitch, mixed cover, and a Snowdome looming over one corner.
Away fans are usually placed in the Meadow End (Meadow Street End) when the ground is segregated. That terrace holds around 850 and is partly covered at the rear, with some flat standing. You are right behind the goal, so the action feels near. A smaller block of Main Stand seats — often around 50 to 90 — is sometimes sold to visitors as well. Enter only through the away turnstiles, typically on the main car park side (gates can be numbered differently by fixture; follow steward signs).
The Main Stand sits on the northern touchline and straddles halfway. It is the only named stand and the best view in the ground: a short covered seated deck built in 1996 and designed so it could be moved if the club ever left. Opposite, running almost the full length of the pitch, is The Shed. That covered terrace is home to the Shed Choir and the players’ tunnel. A TV gantry sits on the roof with a large model owl to keep real birds off. Behind the other goal is the Castle End, an open terrace with no roof — fine on a dry day, exposed if Staffordshire weather turns.
The pitch is a FIFA-standard 3G surface measuring about 101 by 64 yards. Goals sit in front of the Castle End and Meadow End, not the side stands. Floodlights date in spirit from the 1969 set bought from Scarborough; one pylon came down for the Main Stand. Arrive early. On-site parking is limited and charged (often a few pounds for a car; minibuses and coaches more). Town-centre and council parks are a 10–15 minute walk. Tamworth station is roughly 15–20 minutes on foot via Offa Drive, the river bridge and Kettlebrook Road. Postcode B77 1AA.
Prices change by competition, so check Tamworth’s ticketing site before you travel. Recent National League away bands have been in the high teens to low twenties for adults, with concessions, 16/17s and juniors cheaper, and under-10s often free on the terrace. Under-17s usually must buy online in advance. There is typically a small booking fee. Turnstiles often open 90 minutes before kick-off; midweek and cup ties can differ. Cash at the gate is not always accepted.
Facilities in the away end are simple: toilets near the turnstiles, a burger van, hot drinks and often a pop-up away bar. Accessible entry is usually beside the away gates; wheelchair spaces should be booked through the club office. Bags are checked. Leave flares, glass, cans, air horns and pyrotechnics at home. The clubhouse is match-day only and may be off-limits if segregation is tight.
The Lamb is not a bowl. It is four distinct sides, a synthetic pitch that plays true, and a ground small enough that you can hear The Shed from the Meadow End. Buy the right ticket for standing or sitting, walk in through the away gates, and you will be behind the goal that belongs to your end — not looking at it from a sideline terrace by mistake.