Barrow Raiders collected another win at Hunslet, but the 29-24 score line was a bit too close for comfort.
Last season’s Championship whipping boys have clearly improved and after Barrow had opened up a decent lead the hosts fought back to make it a nervous conclusion for Paul Crarey’s men.
In fact it was Hunslet who opened the scoring after 13 minutes with a penalty for a late tackle and Billy Jowitt collected the two points.
Six minutes later Barrow were on the scoreboard when Ryan King barged over under the posts and Ellis Archer put over the conversion.
The visitors were able to add to that advantage on 31 minutes after Brad Walker was taken-out off the ball and Archer put over the resultant penalty.
More points for the Raiders followed before the interval as Brad Walker put over a field goal and then right on the hooter Jarrad Stack slipped a neat pass under pressure to Luke Cresswell who darted in. Archer converted for a 15-2 lead at the break.
Barrow also made a fine start to the second-half, too, when Costello put in a storming run before sending Curtis Teare in for the try which Archer improved.
Hunslet came back strongly and on 53 minutes Lee Gaskell danced around the Raiders’ defence and then sliced through a gap to score for Jowitt to convert.
Two minutes they were in again. This time they broke down the right and released Charlie Graham on halfway. He had the pace to out run the Barrow defence and score with a swallow dive in the corner for an unconverted try.
Barrow needed a score at that stage and when a bouncing ball was grabbed by Tee Ritson on 66 minutes he was able to jink over for a try which Walker improved.
Eleven minutes from the end Walker put over a penalty to extend the Raiders lead to 29-12.
But that sparked a battling finale from Hunslet and they scored converted tries in the last five minutes from Graham and Jowitt to set up some anxious final moments before Barrow got over the finish line.
Hear Paul Crarey’s verdict below:
