BARROW boss Paul Cox is close to knowing his first-choice starting line-up with the National League season little over a week away.

The Bluebirds travel to National League North side Stalybridge Celtic for their final pre-season match tomorrow (3pm kick-off).

The game give Cox one last chance to look at his squad before the real action starts against Aldershot at Holker Street next Saturday, but the manager is already almost there in knowing his preferred team.

Recent home matches against Nottingham Forest, Carlisle United and Accrington Stanley were seen as the key fixtures by the AFC manager when it came to knowing who will start against the Shots.

Several new triallists could feature at Stalybridge, but while he is still hoping to add numbers to the 18-strong squad currently in place – with a pair of central defenders watched this week and striker Aaron O'Connor having featured twice on a trial basis – Cox feels reasonably confident he has the starting 11 sorted in his mind.

“I’m quite close – I’ve been quite close for a while,” he said. “But people shouldn’t forget that we’ve only got a squad of 18 now and that’s the one thing that worries me, in terms of our lack of depth in the squad.

“I think we could put an 11 out there now that could compete with a lot of clubs, it’s just if get injuries, a loss of form, tiredness, fatigue, that’s when I think we really are going to feel the pinch.

“We're keeping tabs on a number of players and there might be one or two we invite in for the final game of pre-season at Stalybridge – some free agents and some with clubs who might come in on loan.

“There are a number of free agents becoming available now and probably cutting their cloth accordingly in terms of demands and there are also players in the Football League we might look at on loan. We’re working hard to bring additions in and hopefully we can bolster it before the season starts.”

Cox is set to make several changes from the starting line-up which has featured against Carlisle and Accrington in the past week.

Players who have been substitutes in those matches and who have not had as much game-time as others in the Barrow squad will be given the chance to play.

That will mean the likes of Andy Coughlin – the former Wrexham goalkeeper who has held positive talks about a move to AFC – Andy Haworth and Elliot Newby should see more action.

Cox said: “We approach the game like we have approached every game in pre-season. We want to get something out of it.

“We have to be mindful of the fact that the season is only a week away and I will be looking to give people minutes who have to catch up there. All these things will come into play before I pick a side and a scenario for using the substitutes and players who aren't signed with us, ie triallists.

“There are a lot of things which will come into my thought process before we decide on the side which will play.

“I think Byron (Harrison) needs more minutes, as do others, but without being stupid – we don't want any knocks. It's sometimes down to whether the player thinks he needs a run-out.”

There is hope winger Lindon Meikle will feature for only the second time in pre-season, having been kept out of action with a calf issue after playing at Stockport County more than two weeks ago.

The former Mansfield Town and York City wide man trained on the Holker Street pitch on Tuesday night before the match with Accrington, but was not part of the squad.

He has been through rigorous training sessions since that game and is likely to start at Bower Fold.

“Lindon has had a really tough workout,” said Cox. “He's in my thoughts to start on Saturday and get some minutes under his belt.

“It's been frustrating for him, but I don't judge people in pre-season. I've had the kid a number of years and I know that when the season gets under way, he is champing at the bit to nail down a place in the side and for us to be successful. It will be nice to have him back.”