Scott Quigley’s strike on 46 minutes was enough to sink the green and whites in the televised BT Sport fixture, which marked the 40th anniversary of the National League. 

Reenacting the inaugural fixture that the two sides played out in 1979, the Bluebirds finished out on top again to leave Sarll disappointed.

There’s never a goal in a game that’s well-timed,” he told YTTV. “I was probably like every person in the stadium in that I thought it was a bad game. It was a really poor football match and they are the games that you either come away with a really disciplined draw, or you nick it because your opponent has made a mistake.

“On this occasion, we’re the ones that made the mistake. I don’t think we did enough for three points, but with the importance of getting a draw at places like Barrow, the need to concentrate is vital.

“We lacked real aggression in the final third, and that’s not been like us at all. We’ve been very aggressive in all parts of the pitch. I thought our physical performance was down based on the other games. I don’t want to keep winging and moaning about the size of the squad, but that’s what happens when you’ve got a small squad.”  

The defeat at Holker Street is the first since the opening day trip to Barnet at the start of the month.

Coming into the match after a midweek win at Ebbsfleet United, Town’s boss admits that recruitment is still yet to be concluded.

“What today did, with the injuries that we’ve had, is give people an opportunity to play that haven’t and for me to see them. I haven’t seen a lot of all of them competitively yet.

“We need to make sure we keep working within and recruiting as best as we can on the outside. It’s going to be an important month. I’ve always said this is going to be a learning month. It’s going to be a month of recruitment and I think we have to always go back to what the blueprint is, and the DNA is, and work objectively.

“I don’t think today is a huge travesty. I really appreciate the effort by the supporters to come this far to support us, especially those poor devils who broke down on the motorway. I’m really really disappointed that we couldn’t give them more entertainment to take them all the way back home.”