DONCASTER 22 BARROW RAIDERS 32
KEITH McGHIE, Eco-Power Stadium, Sunday
IF ever a game was won by good defence, this was not it!
Rarely could a side have offered up a poorer rearguard effort than Barrow but, following a season decimated by injuries, lady luck was finally on the Raiders’ side as they somehow kept their faint hopes of a top-six finish alive.
Doncaster are also still in the mix, but a third defeat in succession has done nothing to help extend their scheduled season.
Amazingly, despite Dons having by far the lion’s share of possession, the Raiders marched off at the interval 24-6 ahead through a combination of good fortune and opportunistic scoring.
And while Barrow were marginally better after the interval, it was astonishing last-gasp efforts that kept them ahead.
Doncaster had Brad Knowles back in the pack after having recovered from a knee injury, while Pauli Pauli was restored to the starting line-up.
A calf injury during the warm-up prevented hooker Greg Burns from taking to the field, so allowing 18th man Josh Bowden to claim his 250th career appearance.
Barrow, with five straight defeats behind them, had Josh Wood returning from suspension and could reflect on having been second in the table at the beginning of June.
But their comparatively small squad has been decimated by injuries since then, largely contributing to their recent demise.
Halfback Alex Bishop also returned for the first time since round 19.
After just seven minutes Luke Cresswell found the space to break and enable the supporting Luke Broadbent to score, so giving Paul Crarey’s side the ideal start.
Edene Gebbie almost responded immediately in the corner but was forced into touch by a clutch of red and black shirts.
As the hosts continued to press, Shane Toal picked off a stray Craig Hall pass and ran the length of the field to help double the early lead to 12 points with his ninth try of the season.
An Andrew Bulman kick bewildered Hall and bounced kindly for Ryan Johnston to pounce and extend the visitors’ advantage to 18 points as Ryan Shaw added all three conversions.
Pauli Pauli finally got Doncaster off the mark when charging onto a short pass to cross beside the posts, with Connor Robinson converting.
Just before the break and after a nerve-wracking number of missed tackles had threatened to cut the Raiders’ lead further, Toal snapped up a grubber kick near his own line and fed Shaw, who raced 80 metres for their second breakaway try of the afternoon.
Ryan Johnston was then just inches wide with an attempted field-goal on the stroke of half-time.
The Dons had their chances – Connor Robinson was clear but Jacob Jones spilt the pass with the line beckoning.
But as the second half unfolded, Johnston, always looking to extend Barrow’s advantage, launched a towering kick which bounced fortuitously for Ellis Robson to pick up and score, putting them 24 points ahead.
Reece Lyne grabbed a try back in the corner, before Pauli fed Suaia Matagi for a second in three minutes and Doncaster were on a roll and back in the game at 18-30.
Still the Raiders’ defence looked there for the taking and Lyne claimed his second touchdown but, vitally, Robinson scuffed his kick, so the Cumbrians still held a two-score lead.
Gebbie had two breaks come to nothing with Toal’s diagonal chase and outstanding try-saving tackle of the Dons’ top scorer with three minutes remaining, enabling them to hang on.
And Shaw completed his perfect record from the tee with a penalty on the hooter.
GAMESTAR: Shane Toal scored a spectacular breakaway try, made another and stopped Edene Gebbie snaffling a third for the opposition.
GAMEBREAKER: Toal’s amazing 77th-minute chase and tackle to stop Gebbie scoring.
MATCHFACTS
DONCASTER
1 Craig Hall
19 Logan Moy
4 Reece Lyne
3 Brad Hey
18 Edene Gebbie
24 Watson Boas
7 Connor Robinson
8 Brad Knowles
20 Issac Misky
10 Suaia Matagi
16 Pauli Pauli
11 Sam Smeaton
14 Jacob Jones
Subs (all used)
15 Jordan Baldwinson
17 Josh Bowden
21 Tyla Hepi
22 Luis Johnson
Tries: Pauli (22), Lyne (55, 71), Matagi (58)
Goals: Robinson 3/4
Sin bin: Robinson (77) – fighting
RAIDERS
1 Luke Cresswell
2 Andrew Bulman
4 Luke Broadbent
5 Shane Toal
17 Ryan Shaw
22 Alex Bishop
7 Ryan Johnson
23 Joe Bullock
9 Josh Wood
21 Finn McMillan
11 Ellis Robson
24 Jarrad Stack
6 Brad Walker
Subs (all used)
25 Aidan Doolan
32 Ryan Brown
19 Delaine Bedward
13 Ryan King
Tries: Broadbent (7), Toal (14), Johnston (17), Shaw (37), Robson (48)
Goals: Shaw 6/6
Sin bin: Johnston (77) – fighting
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18, 6-18, 6-24; 6-30, 12-30, 18-30, 22-30, 22-32
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Doncaster: Pauli Pauli; Raiders: Ryan Johnston
Penalty count: 3-4
Half-time: 6-24
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas
Attendance: 1,432