In an entertaining but tough Championship derby game at Craven Park, Barrow Raiders collected a 40-6 victory over Whitehaven.
The win was built on fast starts to the game and again after the interval, which produced back to back tries on both occasions.
Whitehaven hit back in the first half to score a converted and only trailed 10-6 at the break but a similar two-try burst at the start of the second half virtually clinched the game for the Raiders.
From that point Barrow took charge and some outstanding rugby earned them three more tries and when they needed to defended strongly to make sure Whitehaven didn’t score another point.
Barrow had started on the front foot and took full advantage after four minutes when Haven full-back Luke Broadbent was sent to the sin bin for fighting.
In his absence Barrow scored two tries, one of them converted, to put themselves in the ascendency.
Taking advantage of the man short Barrow used the full width of the pitch to send Tee Ritson racing away and he finished with a spectacular dive for the corner to get the ball down.
Three minutes later they were over again. A break by Matt Costello was finished off by Jarrod Sammut and Ryan Shaw added the extras.
It became a hard-fought affair on Broadbent’s return with both defences on top but Whitehaven got a vital try just before the half-time hooter.
Connor Holliday found room in the Barrow defence to get through it and touchdown, with Nikau Williams adding the conversion.
Barrow opened positively in the second-half, and just as they had done earlier scored back to back tries in the first seven minutes – but this time against a full Haven complement.
Whitehaven were lacking in defence and not properly set when Greg Burke ploughed over for a try which Shaw converted,
Then in a practiced drill three minutes later Sammut kicked for the corner where Ritson leapt to palm it back and Costello was there to collect and go over for the try which Shaw converted.
Whitehaven were just about still in the game but they couldn’t create any scoring opportunities against a well-drilled Barrow defence.
The next score was going to be decisive and it went to Barrow on 59 minutes with the best try of the game. Costello made the break, found Ritson and then a ball back inside put Sammut over for his second try which Shaw improved.
Whitehaven’s fading hopes were completely squashed on 69 minutes when Ryan King was sent to the sin bin.
Again Whitehasven were made to pay for being reduced to 12 men with Barrow scoring two more tries.
Jarrad Stack made the initial break on 72 minutes and he had support from Costello, who simply passed the ball on for Ritson to finish at pace. Shaw converted.
Three minutes from the end another excellent handling move from Barrow ended with Anton Iaria spinning out of two tackles to make the line. Shaw converted.
There was not even a consolation second-half score for Haven as when Tom Walker was plunging over he lost the ball to some solid try line defence by Barrow.
