PAUL Crarey found it hard to disguise his delight after watching a gutsy Barrow Raiders produce the goods against Keighley Cougars with an 18-14 win in the final pre-season friendly at Craven Park yesterday.

Full-back Ryan Fieldhouse proved to be Barrow’s man of the moment with a cracking second half double – the second three minutes from the final hooter – to earn his side a morale-boosting victory ahead of their first major test in a fortnight when they host Rochdale Hornets in a first round iPro Sport Cup tie.

Crarey had watched his side ship 10 points in the first 18 minutes of the clash as the Cougars bossed those early exchanges but centre Chris Hankinson, playing in the unfamiliar role of stand-off, gave his side a fighting chance with a try and conversion before the break.

Then it was time for Fieldhouse to produce the goods with two touchdowns as his pace left the Cougars defence chasing shadows.

“He was outstanding, he was electric at times,” said Raiders coach Crarey of Fieldhouse.

“His positional play was good. To play like he did on the back of carrying the ball strong on kick returns was just just outstanding.

He added: “At half-time I said to the boys we are only 10-6 down, with no possession.

“We said let’s lift the enthusiasm, play with a little bit of shape, play a little bit harder in the halves, play on the edges a little bit more pull them out and we will have some joy, and we did that.”

“I thought the second half performance was really good.”

Barrow started without captain and prop Oliver Wilkes (back), and stand-off Liam Campbell (arm) both put their hands up to feature with Crarey making the tough decision to give them more time to recover from their injuries.

He was also shorn of half-back or hooker Brad Marwood, out with a shoulder injury, which led to Hankinson’s switch.

But once Barrow found their feet after taking an early battering Keighley were unable to respond.

“They had 42 plays more than us and they kicked the ball really well in the first half,” said Crarey.

“These affairs against Keighley are always a dogged encounter. They make it tight and they are real tenacious team, work hard through the middle and they fight for everything they have got.

“In the second half we defended 24 tackles on our own goal-line which is four sets.

“What we gain out of these games is we know we have got a team that wants to work hard. Obviously the football is not going to be good because it’s horrendous conditions and heavy but we are battling.

“I thought against Oldham we created a lot of chances but didn’t take them, today we created a few chances in the second half and we were clinical in how we finished them.

“I thought Bradd Crellin was massive on that right edge.”

Before Fieldhouse scored the winner there was some controversy surrounding Paul White’s touchdown which had put the visitors back in the lead.

“He appeared to have stepped into touch but after some deliberation the try was allowed to stand.

“All the boys said it was out for all the world, but the linesman said he was in.

“But we had a try chalked off on the right edge which for us looked good,” added Crarey, referring to a Shane Toal effort.