IT was a straightforward comprehensive victory against a very poor Hemel Stags team last week. I know they have struggled all season, but I didn’t expect them to be so bad. It was over as a spectacle after 26 minutes as Barrow raced into a 26-0 lead.

The second half was very scrappy and the weather was a bigger threat than the Stags as the ball became a bar of soap and contributed to Barrow dropping the ball as they were passing over the try-line on numerous occasions. The final score was 62-4, but it could have been 100.

Special mention goes to Nathan Mossop, who grabbed a brace of tries following his two-month injury absence, and Brad Brennan, making his debut after being on loan to Coventry with a fantastic game, driving holes in the Stags’ defence every time he received the ball.

Eze Harper, on loan from Leigh, also had a fine debut, scoring two tries in the first 22 minutes.

Another two points on the path to the play-offs and the good news is that one more victory assures a place in the top eight.

It’s Keighley Cougars at Cougar Park tomorrow and Oxford at Craven Park next Sunday.

Oxford are a similar standard to Hemel, with only one victory to their name, and barring the biggest shock of the season you could say with some confidence that Barrow are assured a play-off spot.

The game tomorrow is very important and there is an extra incentive in that, if we can beat Keighley, not only do we qualify for the play-offs but we give ourselves a chance of finishing in the top four.

It puts pressure on Keighley so they would have to win both of their last two games at Rochdale and against York at home and that is highly unlikely given the form of Rochdale and York and the fact Keighley were trounced 84-6 last week in Toulouse.

Doncaster would have to lose to London Skolars this afternoon and Rochdale away in their last game, which is also a strong possibility.

If Doncaster can win in the capital, they are virtually assured fourth, because they play Hemel at home next week and that will give them 20 points; one more than Barrow can achieve.

Every Raiders’ fan wants a Skolars’ victory and, if that happens, Barrow can travel to Keighley knowing exactly what is required.

Finishing fourth guarantees four home games, not three, which is a significant advantage.

I have studied the RFL model for the play-offs and am assuming it will be the same as used in the Championship last year.

I have also studied all the remaining fixtures and my prediction is, should Barrow finish fourth, we will probably play Doncaster, London, Hunslet and Toulouse at home and Rochdale, York and Keighley away.

If we are not successful at Keighley, we will probably finish sixth and that means we will probably play London, Hunslet and York at home and Toulouse, Rochdale, Keighley and Doncaster away.

The key advantage of finishing fourth is that we have an extra home game and we don’t have to travel to Toulouse.

I was on radio duty last year at Cougar Park and witnessed a travesty as Barrow gave one of their best away performances of the season, but unbelievably lost 18-17, having been 17-6 ahead with six minutes left.

Barrow are capable of beating Keighley provided we keep our discipline and complete the sets.

The coach and the players know that and the band of die-hard travelling supporters who have shown commitment to the cause all season know that and deserve a performance.