Barrow Raiders put up a gutsy show against Featherstone Rovers, a side with Super League ambitions.
Although they lost 34-24 the Raiders did the home fans proud with their efforts in a game watched by 2,570.
Twelve minutes into the second half a converted try pulled Barrow back into the game, trailing just by two points at 26-24.
Featherstone were looking rattled under a persistent Barrow onslaught but to their credit, they cleared their heads and scored two unconverted tries to clinch the points.
At one point towards the end of the first half Rovers enjoyed a 22-6 lead and Barrow appeared in danger of slipping out of the contest. But a try just before the break gave them a huge lift ahead of Paul Crarey’s interval team talk.
In fact Barrow had been first to score after only three minutes when deadly finisher Tee Ritson took an interception from an aimless lobbed pass and went almost the length of the field to score. Ryan Shaw converted.
That stirred Featherstone and on 11 minutes, following strong pressure Jack Broadbent went in for a try which Craig Hall converted.
It was still all square going into the second quarter but Featherstone went ahead on 21 minutes when Craig Kopczak sliced through the home defence to score a try, converted by Hall.
Barrow were breached again four minutes later out on the left where Josh Hardcastle got through for another try, converted by Hall.
It was all Featherstone now and on 31 minutes they were in again with Joey Leilua crashing over but this time Hall missed the kick.
Barrow needed something and they got it right at the end of the half while Broadbent was in the bin for Rovers.
A kick to the right was collected by Ritson and the Barrow flier raced away to collect his second try which Shaw converted for a 22-12 deficit for the Raiders to face on the resumption.
There was an explosive start to the second half when Ritson made a break and had Luke Cresswell with him to take the pass and go over for a third Barrow try converted by Shaw.
On 50m minutes Featherstone scored when Leilua went in at the corner for his second try but Hall missed the kick.
Back came Barrow and Jarrod Sammut made a smart interception 40 metres out and he raced away to score with Shaw’s conversion cutting the gap to 24-26.
So close for Barrow, so they were disappointed to concede two unconverted tries by Morgan Smith (59) and Ben Halliwell (77).
