GOOLE VIKINGS 16 BARROW RAIDERS 34
DAVE PARKINSON, Victoria Pleasure Grounds, Sunday
BARROW battled past professional newcomers Goole in a competitive 1895 Cup round-one encounter.
Ryan King led from the front with a big display in the Raiders’ pack and Brad Walker added both class and poise from hand and boot as the visitors avoided an upset.
Goole lost Callum Rutland in the warm-up with a hamstring injury, which disrupted their preparations. Reece Dean took his place with 20 minutes to go before kick-off.
Barrow made the batter start and had the benefit of a heavy penalty count that went their way throughout.
They opened scoring in the 13th minute when former Wath Brow Hornets centre Curtis Teare crossed on the left. Walker goaled but Goole were level four minutes later when a hook ball from Dean had captain Josh Guzdek crashing over from close range.
Dean goaled, but Barrow edged back in front after 24 minutes when the Vikings were penalised for interference and Walker converted from 20 metres.
Barrow then extended their advantage to eight points when workhorse King slipped a pass out of a tackle and Kavan Rothwell, on loan from Leigh, streamed through from close range with Walker adding his third goal.
Earlier Goole had an opportunity when Manoa Wacokecoke twice kicked on following an errant offload by James Greenwood, but a mark of the Raiders’ first 40 minutes was their defence and they held out.
Seven minutes from the break tempers frayed when Vikings fullback Callum Shaw took exception to a tackle near his line and both he and Barrow substitute Jamie Pye were sinbinned for their part in the confrontation.
The second half started poorly for the hosts with a penalty from Walker increasing the lead to ten points before Ryan Johnston and Ellis Robson combined to get Teare over for his second try.
Andrew Bulman had a try disallowed and Teare was well tackled as he went on the hunt for his third score, before good play from Goole was rewarded – Wacokecoke finished strongly from 20 metres heading into the last 20 minutes from sharp attack on the left.
An error from the restart piled the pressure on the hosts and Barrow responded with Luke Cresswell putting Tee Ritson over for a try on his Raiders return in less than a metre of space.
Again Goole were positive and AJ Wallace, one of several Hull KR players on dual-registration, turned the ball inside for Ben Dent to score and Dean closed the gap to twelve points.
But Barrow secured their place in the next round when a five-pass play was well finished by Bulman and Walker kept up his perfect record with his seventh goal.
GAMESTAR: Brad Walker gave a composed performance in the halves for Barrow and his kicking contributed 14 points to the final score.
GAMEBREAKER: Tee Ritson’s try after 64 minutes gave the hosts too much to do.
MATCHFACTS
VIKINGS
19 Callum Shaw
23 Ben Hodder
3 Josh Guzdek
5 Manoa Wacokecoke
19 Neil Tchamambe
6 Mackenzie Harman
7 Reece Dean
17 Jack Coventry
20 Andy Ellis
27 Leo Tennison
12 Bailey Dawson
14 Misi Taulapapa
18 Tyler Craig
Subs (all used)
21 Ben Dent
26 Lennie Ellis
22 Mike Ogunwole
30 AJ Wallace
Tries: Guzdek (17), Wacokecoke (61), Dent (67)
Goals: Dean 2/3
Sin bin: Shaw (33) – altercation
RAIDERS
1 Luke Cresswell
2 Andrew Bulman
4 Luke Broadbent
18 Curtis Teare
30 Tee Ritson
6 Brad Walker
7 Ryan Johnston
8 Tom Walker
14 Aaron Smith
32 Ryan Brown
12 James Greenwood
11 Ellis Robson
13 Ryan King
Subs (all used)
22 Alex Bishop
5 Shane Toal
33 Jamie Pye
31 Kavan Rothwell
Tries: Teare (13, 47), Rothwell (28), Ritson (64), Bulman (76)
Goals: Walker 7/7
Sin bin: Pye (33) – altercation
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 6-8, 6-14; 6-16, 6-22, 10-22, 10-28, 16-28, 16-34
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Vikings: Manoa Wacokecoke; Raiders: Brad Walker
Penalty count: 7-12
Half-time: 6-14
Referee: Cameron Worsley