BARROW RAIDERS 18 OLDHAM 40
PADDY McATEER, Speed Competitions Stadium, Sunday

BARROW made a bright start by taking a 12-0 lead inside five minutes – but once into their stride, Oldham proved too big, too slick and too strong.

The Raiders were without almost an entire pack, with Tom Walker, Ellis Robson, Josh Wood, Charlie Emslie and Matty Costello injured.

They put up a brave effort, and at one stage in the second half, were only four points behind, but the visitors overall recorded seven tries, six of them converted by Riley Dean.

The game was barely a minute old when Barrow took the lead. A sweeping attack from deep inside their own half ended with the ball moved to Tee Ritson, who pulled away from the cover, and in support was Luke Cresswell, who galloped in from 30 metres out for Brad Walker to convert.

Then it was 12-0 after Matty Wildie was sinbinned for his reaction to being penalised for holding down. From the tap penalty, the ball was moved right to left for Cresswell to throw out a long ball to Ritson, who flew in, with Walker tagging on the goal.

Oldham settled down with Ted Chapelhow driving hard to cross the line only to bounce the ball after taking a crunching tackle from Ryan King.

Josh Drinkwater was held up over the line, while Adam Milner lost control in touching down before Barrow were reduced to twelve men when Joe Bullock was yellow carded for throwing the ball at Chapelhow.

Oldham finally scored after half an hour when Wildie’s neat pass sent Milner over the whitewash, with Dean goaling.

Soon after, a neat ball from Drinkwater sent in Dean, but his conversion attempt came back off a post.

However Oldham had their tails up and went ahead when after a high kick from Dean, Ewan Moore rose highest to gather and touch the ball down, with Dean adding the two for 16-12.

In the closing minutes of the fist half, Barrow skipper Johnston and Oldham’s Tom Nisbet were sent to the bin following a fracas.

Two minutes into the second half, Jake Bibby scrambled over and Dean landed a fine touchline conversion.

Barrow worked hard to reduce the deficit with Ritson breaking and kicking ahead only for the covering defenders to smother the ball.

Oldham went upfield with a sweeping attack through Drinkwater, Matty Ashurst and Jack Walker, but Luke Broadbent made a try-saving tackle.

Shane Toal went close for the home side and when Broadbent put in a dangerous kick, Oldham’s Walker was on hand to boot the ball dead.

Barrow did hit back when a long pass from Johnston released Ritson, who dived in, with Walker tagging on the two to cut Oldham’s lead to 22-18.

However when Finn McMillan was dragged into touch, Oldham took advantage to go upfield with Dean the provider for Ben Davies to cross. Dean converted from wide out.

Barrow refused to throw in the towel, with Ritson once more breaking free, but his inside ball to Johnston was ruled forward.

Oldham counter-attacked and on 76 minutes, put the game to bed with Drinkwater slicing through the cover to go in for Dean to convert.

And to round off the scoring, Moore strolled in for his second, with Dean kicking his sixth goal.

GAMESTAR: Riley Dean was at the heart of many Oldham attacks, and scored a try and landed six goals.

GAMEBREAKER: Josh Drinkwater’s 76th-minute try which with Dean’s conversion, made it 34-18.

MATCHFACTS

RAIDERS
1 Luke Cresswell
2 Andrew Bulman
5 Luke Broadbent
3 Shane Toal
25 Tee Ritson
6 Brad Walker
7 Ryan Johnston
10 Joe Bullock
17 Alex Bishop
16 Greg Richards
22 Jarrad Stack
4 Curtis Teare
13 Ryan King
Subs (all used)
18 Finn McMillan
23 Stevie Watson
24 Ellis Archer
32 Harvey Makin

Tries: Cresswell (1), Ritson (5, 62)
Goals: Walker 3/3
Sin bin: Bullock (20) – misconduct, Johnston (39) – fracas

OLDHAM
1 Jack Walker
21 Tom Nisbet
4 Ben Davies
5 Jake Bibby
28 Luke Forber
7 Riley Dean
23 Josh Drinkwater
15 Ted Chapelhow
9 Matty Wildie
18 Jaron Purcell
11 Matty Ashurst
16 Ewan Moore
13 Adam Milner
Subs (all used)
10 Owen Farnworth
14 Cole Geyer
12 Adam Lawton
27 Bayley Liu

Tries: Milner (30), Dean (32), Moore (36, 79), Bibby (43), Davies (69), Drinkwater (76)
Goals: Dean 6/7
Sin bin: Wildie (3) – dissent, Nisbet (39) – fracas

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 12-6, 12-10, 12-16; 12-22, 18-22, 18-28, 18-34, 18-40

Rugby League & League Express Men of the Match
Raiders: Tee Ritson; Oldham: Riley Dean

Penalty count: 5-9
Half-time: 12-16
Referee: Ryan Cox
Attendance: 1,860