Tamworth can look back on a satisfying season as their target of beating the drop was accomplished. Yet, it was a narrow escape and once again the Lambs had a worrying collapse after a pretty good start of the season. Marcus Law got his team playing extremely well in the opening weeks, winning three of the first four games. Adam Cunnington was looking in superb form up front while the supporting cast of Lloyd Kerry, Peter Till and Tommy Wright were doing well too. September brought an awakening due to four losses in a row but Tamworth responded with four wins in the next six games, getting wins at tough places like Woking and Forest Green. But there was a feeling of brittleness about a team that was playing neat football but struggled to avoid defeats when their flair players were not on their game and remain largely in mid-table. Their real slide began from October onwards when they initially lost four games in a row and then that run expanded to just a single victory over the period of 11 games. The injury problems and the loss of form of Cunnington were the main concerns for Law who struggled to get a grip on the squad. Morale was low despite a lucky 2:1 win over Nuneaton at the start of 2013 and eventually a thumping loss at the hands of Braintree in the next game resulted in the manager's dismissal. Dale Belford was given the reins for the rest of the season having saved Tamworth from the drop two seasons ago at the end, and he got off to a very good start. Having signed a couple of new faces and instilling a more direct and effective way of playing, the new boss secured three wins in his opening spell of six games, losing none of them. That included big wins against relegation rivals Hyde and Stockport but next followed a poor run of one point in the next four games. Having lost key players like Kerry, Till and Scott Barrow to serious injuries, the squad was lacking in midfield creativity where the experienced Lee Hendrie was failing to assert control. There were some nervy moments in the first weeks of spring and heavy defeats at Hereford and Alfreton around Easter really put Tamworth in trouble. They also lost to key rivals Lincoln and picked just a point at relegated Ebbsfleet which meant that they welcomed the last day of the season knowing that only a win will guarantee them safety. And they did beat Woking but it left the fans wondering why it should have been left so late to eventually secure the status for next season.
