WORKINGTON TOWN 12 BARROW RAIDERS 56
DAVE PARKINSON, Fibrus Community Stadium, Sunday

BARROW remain hot on the heels of the leading pack after a resounding ten-try win at a blustery Workington.

From as early as the third minute the Raiders took control as a high-speed move down the right was finished by Tee Ritson, who eventually blazed over for a hat-trick in his pursuit of a hundred tries for the club.

The Raiders had to cope with some early disruption after Matty Costello withdrew in the warm-up, which brought Charlie Emslie to the bench, Andrew Bulman in on the wing, while Luke Broadbent moved to centre and Curtis Teare slotted into the second row.

After conceding that early try, Town lay siege to the Barrow line, forcing five lots of possession against the visitors, but they repelled them each time and responded in clinical fashion when Ryan King somehow touched down despite a posse of defenders in the 17th minute.

The loose forward grounded again three minutes later and the Raiders looked set to cut loose when he waltzed through the middle a third time and Luke Cresswell supported on the inside.

Ritson’s second try after 37 minutes put paid to any hopes of a Workington comeback, but the Barrow juggernaut continued into the second half with four tries in the third quarter that increased the advantage from 0-26 to 0-50.

A wonderful kick from Johnston saw Ritson fly after the ball, only for Workington debutant Logan Blacker to do enough to put him off. Unfortunately for Blacker, the ball popped up for the onrushing Shane Toal to run over the line.

Toal became key to the next two scores as he unselfishly fed Ritson for his hat-trick after Walker’s angled kick left, then the centre burst forward again to offload at the right moment for skipper Ryan Johnston to go over by the posts.

Try as they might, Workington were in a hole and three consecutive errors piled on the pressure before Johnston dug into the line and Charlie Emslie crossed untouched.

Good defence from Zarrin Galea held Bulman over the line but another attacking kick from Johston for Ritson left Town wide open. Despite Jamie Doran tracking back to deny the winger, quick hands to the right brought Bulman his score and the visitors tenth try, with Walker completing his eight-goal haul in the tricky breeze.

To their credit Workington rallied in the last ten minutes, scoring two good tries.

The first went the way of Blacker, with the classy Huddersfield youngster picking his way through the defence to cross at the side of the posts. Dom Wear converted and was on hand again to add a further two points after taking play into contact before Jack Stephenson strode through from twenty metres.

But it could prove an expensive afternoon for the Raiders, who were reduced to eleven men in the last minute after Luke Broadbent was sinbinned and Joe Bullock left the field alongside Town’s Dom Wear with elbow and head injuries respectively.

GAMESTAR: Ellis Robson’s 80 minutes saw him edge his teammate Ryan King.

GAMEBREAKER: Tee Ritson’s second try on 37 minutes prevented any hopes Town had of wrestling this game away from Barrow.

MATCHFACTS

TOWN
27 Logan Blacker
1 Zarrin Galea
21 Evan Lawther
4 Braden Leigh
22 Tanna Featherstone
9 Jamie Doran
7 Dom Wear
8 Ross Ainley
14 Callum Phillips
10 Stevie Scholey
26 Tuarae Rawhiti
28 Jack Ainley
13 Jack Stephenson
Subs (all used)
15 Callum Farrer
17 Lucas Castle
24 Grant Reid
25 Bear Williams

Tries: Blacker (71), Stephenson (75)
Goals: Wear 2/2

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
8 Tom Walker
11 Ellis Robson
4 Curtis Teare
13 Ryan King
Subs (all used)
15 Charlie Emslie
16 Greg Richards
30 Finley Dutton-Rosconie
31 Harvey Makin

Tries: Ritson (3, 37, 51), King (17, 20), Cresswell (25), Toal (45), Johnston (55), Emslie (60), Bulman (66)
Goals: B Walker 8/10
Sin bin: Broadbent (79) – high tackle

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-10, 0-16, 0-22, 0-26; 0-32, 0-38, 0-44, 0-50, 0-56, 6-56, 12-56

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Town: Callum Phillips; Raiders: Ellis Robson

Penalty count: 12-8
Half-time: 0-26
Referee: Luke Bland
Attendance: 1,061