THE chance to secure a first-team starting berth come the start of the National League season is up for grabs as Barrow AFC host Carlisle United on Saturday.

The Cumbrians head south to Holker Street with only two weeks between the pre-season encounter and the start of the real action (3pm kick-off).

For Barrow boss Paul Cox, it is when the action ramps up, with tomorrow’s match followed by a game against another League Two side – Accrington Stanley – on Tuesday and a trip to Stalybridge Celtic next weekend.

The first two of those three matches will give Cox the opportunity to see how his players – both those already signed on and a handful of triallists – cope against sides from higher up the pyramid.

That is perfect preparation for the start of the National League season on August 6, and Cox has told his men to show what they can do and earn themselves a place in his starting XI come the visit of Aldershot.

“You look at them and they are two very important games to gauge where we are,” he said. “We are going to come up against two teams who have aspirations to get out of League Two. Carlisle just missed out on the play-offs last year and Accrington made the play-offs.

“What I’ve called for in pre-season is for everybody we play to give us a test in different ways. These two sides, I feel, will give us problems that are going to be emulated when we play in the Conference – I don’t think you can get any closer to a competitive top-of-the-league Conference game than with the two teams we are playing.

“As long as we are tested in both games, and in different facets of the game, then I’ll be OK. It’s problem-solving now and putting the whole puzzle together.

“Places are up for grabs. I’m not bothered about personalities, profiles, or who thinks they are the best player at the club – places will be earned and places will be kept based on performances. The players need to understand that and whoever is picked needs to try and tick the box of maintaining their position.”

There is likely to be major competition in several positions on the field for Barrow come the start of the season.

Paul Turnbull, Alex-Ray Harvey, Andy Parry and Liam Hughes are all potential starters in midfield, while Jordan Williams, Andy Haworth and Lindon Meikle have two wing berths to fight over.

Triallists such as Will De Havilland – who played in the centre of defence in the 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest last week – will also be out to earn contracts and follow in the footsteps of Euan Murray, who penned a one-year deal this week.

Cox expects those players who had a lot of game-time in yesterday’s behind-closed-doors match against Bury to play fewer minutes tomorrow, with the potential to change again for the visit of Accrington.

“Some players will have had little game-time against Bury and some will have had a lot,” said Cox. “That will be reversed for Carlisle and then it could be reversed again on Tuesday.

“We’ve got to find out in these games now our permutations in terms of formations – which I am very clear on at the minute – and the players which fit into those positions and those formations. We need to know who goes well with each other before we settle on the team.

“These two games are really important for us. Hopefully we will come out of them with a little bit more of an understanding of where we are and how that will affect the first 10 games.”