BARROW RAIDERS 50 NORTH WALES CRUSADERS 24
PADDY McATEER, Northern Competitions Stadium, Sunday
BARROW cruised to victory over last season’s League One champions with the front row of Tom Walker, Josh Wood and Joe Bullock laying the platform in the early stages.
Paul Crarey’s side went on the attack from the first whistle and within 90 seconds Tee Ritson was touching down for Brad Walker to convert.
By the time the game was 20 minutes old, the scoreline already read 24-0, while 18 of Crusaders’ 24 points came in the final dozen minutes of an otherwise one-sided contest.
Ritson’s opener came courtesy of a sweeping attack from inside the Barrow half with Brad Walker, Ryan Johnston, Luke Cresswell and finally Luke Broadbent paving the way for the former St Helens winger to touch down.
The Crusaders did attack early themselves through good play from Lloyd Roby and Matt Lightfoot, but Broadbent and Ritson were on hand to prevent a score.
On 11 minutes, strong pressure enabled Bullock to swing around in the tackle to ground the ball after Wood was held short of the line.
Three minutes later, new boy Greg Richards made a break and in attempting to set Bullock free his pass was knocked down by a Crusader, only for Wood to swoop and go in from close range.
Walker tagged on the extras both times, then rampant Bullock was on the end of a neat Ryan Johnston break and Broadbent was on target with the conversion for 24-0.
The Crusaders were finding it difficult to cope with the attacking play of the home side, but did apply some threats with Shaun Costello held short after good approach work from Charlie Glover and Ritson alert to hard-working Jordy Gibson’s kick.
Persistence finally paid off for the visitors when a sweeping attack saw a long ball from Roby find Luke Forber with acres of space to cross the whitewash, and Gibson landed a touchline goal.
But Barrow responded with Matty Costello wriggling out of a tackle to dot the ball down for 28-6, the try going unconverted by one of their two unnamed trialists.
While dominant for most of the opening 40, the half-time hooter saved the home side after Lewis Holgate held up over the line.
Costello opened the second-half scoring after good approach work from Johnston and Trent Ruddy.
Six minutes later, Johnston danced around the cover and over the line was Tom Walker, with ‘Trialist B’ kicking his first successful goal of three at the third time of asking.
The next try came from ‘Trialist A’, taking the score to 44-6, before North Wales’ mini-revival.
Quick hands from big-name recruit Greg Eden sent Alex Pendlebury racing in at the corner only for Cresswell to tackle him, but the match official awarded a penalty try for what appeared to be a shoulder charge.
Two minutes later Eden broke the line and, with the cover coming in, he put in a neat kick for Josh Eaves to gather and touch down.
From the restart, Crusaders lost possession allowing Fin Dutton- Rosconie to swoop and go in from 30 meters, the conversion taking Barrow to 50 points.
Roby then crossed at the end to round off the scoring, with Junior Westwood converting all three late North Wales tries.
GAMESTAR: Joe Bullock took the game to North Wales with some strong running and two tries.
GAMEBREAKER: After 20 minutes Barrow were already out of sight at 24-0.
MATCHFACTS
RAIDERS
1 Luke Cresswell
2 Andrew Bulman
4 Curtis Teare
5 Luke Broadbent
25 Tee Ritson
6 Brad Walker
7 Ryan Johnston
8 Tom Walker
9 Josh Wood
10 Joe Bullock
15 Charlie Emslie
12 Matty Costello
16 Greg Richards
Subs (all used)
30 Fin Dutton-Rosconie
20 Dan Knott
21 Trent Ruddy
33 Stevie Watson
19 Seth Woodend
31 Trialist A
32 Trialist B
Tries: Ritson (2), Bullock (11, 20), Wood (14), Costello (35, 46), T Walker (52), Trialist A (64), Dutton-Rosconie (73)
Goals: B Walker 3/3, Broadbent 1/1, Trialist B 3/5
CRUSADERS
1 Lloyd Roby
2 Matt Lightfoot
3 Greg Eden
4 Jake Spedding
5 Luke Forber
7 Jordy Gibson
18 Junior Westwood
8 Kian Fishwick
9 Josh Eaves
10 Shaun Costello
12 Brad England
15 Charlie Glover
13 Ashton Robinson
Subs (all used)
11 Alex Pendlebury
23 Callum Lowe
16 Logan Stott
21 Lewis Holgate
Tries: Forber (27), Pendlebury (68 pen), Eaves (70), Roby (79)
Goals: Gibson 1/1, Westwood 3/3
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 18-0, 24-0, 24-6, 28-6; 32-6, 38-6, 44-6, 44-12, 44-18, 50-18, 50-24
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Raiders: Joe Bullock; Crusaders: Lloyd Roby
Penalty count: 8-11
Half-time: 24-6
Referee: Matty Lynn
Attendance: 946