BARROW RAIDERS 40 WORKINGTON TOWN 0
PADDY McATEER, Northern Competitions Stadium, Sunday
GREG RICHARDS made a try-scoring debut as Barrow ran in seven in testing conditions to give Workington a bitter first taste of life back in the second tier.
The best of the scores came close to the the final hooter when Ellis Archer made a scintillating burst downfield, and on his shoulder to dot the ball down was Luke Cresswell to claim his second try of the closing stages.
Despite all their efforts, Town couldn’t prise open any gaps in a tight Raiders defence.
Barrow were the first to threaten when new skipper Ryan Johnston threaded a neat kick through the Workington defence, only for Ellis Robson to fail to ground the ball correctly.
When Curtis Teare went high on Fulton, the visitors from the tap-penalty moved upfield with a good drive from Evan Lawther, but his progress was halted by sound defending.
Jake Carter and Alex Donaghy linked for Fulton to put in a dangerous kick, but the ball was in the safe hands of Barrow’s Andrew Bulman.
In a counter-attack, Tee Ritson went on a 40-yard run but he was taken high by Brandon Leigh. A skirmish followed and Leigh went to the sin bin with 14 minutes gone.
With Workington down a man, Barrow opened their account when Joe Bullock crashed over and Brad Walker added the conversion.
Luke Broadbent was unfortunate to lose the ball after Josh Wood made a telling break, but Barrow scored again when Richards, signed from Toulouse, took a neat ball from Walker to crash over by the posts.
Walker improved then added a penalty-goal for 14-0.
Workington were almost on the scoreboard in the final minute of the first half, but Grant Reid was held a foot from the line.
Barrow never stepped off the gas after the break, and a Johnston kick to the line was pushed dead.
After Robson made good yards the ball was moved outside, only for Teare to fail to gather close to the line.
Archer came on for Wood and on the hour mark touched down, slicing through the cover. Walker’s kick hit an upright.
Workington never gave up playing some neat attacking rugby but finding a way through was difficult, and Barrow increased their lead on 64 minutes.
Walker’s short ball found Robson, who was unstoppable, and Walker tagged on the extra two.
Barrow were rampant and went further ahead when swift play enabled Cresswell to feed Teare, who went in wide out. Walker was good from the touchline for 30-0.
When Carter put in a deep kick downfield, Ritson gathered and raced clear, covering 40 yards before slipping in the mud.
In another sweeping attack, Teare’s inside ball found the supporting Cresswell, who dotted down, and with the hooter close, Cresswell struck again and Walker goaled.
GAMESTAR: Barrow secondrow Ellis Robson was strong in attack, scoring s try, and also defence.
GAMEBREAKER: Ellis Archer’s 60th-minute try, which made it 18-0.
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
11 Ellis Robson
12 Matty Costello
13 Ryan King
Subs (all used)
32 Ellis Archer
16 Greg Richards
15 Charlie Emslie
30 Jarrad Stack
Tries: Bullock (16), Richards (26), Archer (60), Robson (64), Teare (70), Cresswell (77, 80)
Goals: B Walker 6/8
TOWN
5 Alex Donaghy
1 Zarrin Galea
19 Spencer Fulton
3 Rio Corkill
2 Oscar Doran
6 Jake Carter
4 Braden Leigh
15 Callum Farrer
14 Callum Phillips
8 Ross Ainley
21 Evan Lawther
26 Tuarae Rawhiti
10 Stevie Scholey
Subs (all used)
12 Jake Bradley
17 Lucas Castle
18 Jude Lupton
24 Grant Reid
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 14-0; 18-0, 24-0, 30-0, 34-0, 40-0
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Raiders: Ellis Robson; Town: Spencer Fulton
Penalty count: 8-4
Half-time: 14-0
Referee: Matty Lynn
Attendance: 2,003