Barrow continued their winning start to the Championship with a 30-0 win at Whitehaven.
It was tough going in the heavy conditions and both sets of players deserve praise for their efforts in the mud and sluther to make it a spectacle.
Barrow were the sharper side, confident after their winning start over two previous Championship games and their extra experience counted against a youthful and relatively inexperienced Haven side.
The Raiders couldn’t have asked for a better start as they took the lead on two minutes after a break by Tee Ritson down the left. The ball was moved swiftly across field and Curtis Teare scored for Brad Walker to convert.
Barrow were givi9ng away more penalties than the home side (12-4) in the end and they had to wait until the 16th minute to increase their lead.
Ryan Johnston tried a short kick near the home line and it rebounded off a pair of Whitehaven legs to the Barrow half-back who scored the try. Walker converted.
It was a slog from then to half-time with Whitehaven showing plenty of commitment and it was still 12-0 at the break.
Five minutes into the second-half Barrow scored the decisive third try as Matt Costello dived over from acting half-back. Walker again added the extras.
Johnston claimed his second try on 53 minutes when he again chipped a ball towards the home line and this time was through to touchdown. Walker converted for 24-0.
The final try came on 61 minutes when Costello wrong-footed the Whitehaven defence and crossed for his second touchdown and Walker made it 100% from his conversion attempts.
Hear Barrow Raiders’ Paul Crarey’s verdict below:
and here are Whitehaven’s Anthony Murray’s thoughts:
