ALL of Barrow AFC's new faces will take to the pitch for the first time tomorrow at Airbus UK Broughton.

Manager Paul Cox has a full squad available for the venture into North Wales to take on the Welsh Premier League outfit (2pm kick-off).

The likes of Joel Dixon, Danny Livesey and Jordan Williams – all retained from last season – will line-up alongside fresh signings Paul Turnbull, Ross Hannah and Moussa Diarra.

A number of triallists will also feature for the Bluebirds, including some who played in the 2-1 victory over Furness Select last weekend, with Cox looking forward to the action.

“All the players are available and will feature,” he said.

“There will be a few triallists playing as well. There might be one or two who are taken over from the game last week and there might be a scenario where we only give a lot of the players 45 minutes in this game, just to get them into a routine and back into the swing of things.

“Playing 60 to 80 minutes in the first game back can be too much.

“We've invited one of two in for training with us and we will take another good luck at them. More important than anything is personality.

“It was a tough game at the weekend and I was very analytical afterwards when I was driving home. The conditions were bordering on atrocious with the wind and the ones we thought might be something, we have invited them in to see them in a different scenario and with the first-team players.”

Winger Lindon Meikle did miss the start of pre-season, but Cox has been happy with how he has caught up, and has no issue with including him in the squad tomorrow.

The manager is expecting a tough assignment at the Airfield, but is relishing the prospect of seeing his side in action for the first time this pre-season.

“I am looking to it, I think the boys are looking forward to it, I think everybody is looking forward to it,” Cox added.

“No matter what you do in training and how you mix it up, it becomes a little bit mundane and boring after a while when you are working on fitness and mental strength. There are only so many times you can do it.

“The boys want to play a game. It's what we're all in it for – playing football.

“I'm excited, the boys are excited and everyone should be excited. I'm excited, but I know that we are going to be nowhere near where I want us to be. That's the beauty of pre-season and that's why I've asked for the game we've got.

“I think it's a very tough game we're going to go into. They will be two or three ahead of us in terms of their fitness and their sharpness, but that's what I want – I want to ask questions of this group of players in pre-season.

“I want other teams, whether it is a Football League club or a team that is lower in the pyramid to ask questions of us. If I learn about us in pre-season, then it cuts down on the mistakes coming into the season, which every manager will have.

“Every manager in this game will have problems at the start of the season and will be asking himself and the players questions. I think the more we can test the players, without going overboard and getting injuries, the better.

“It's all about schooling for the season.”