THERE is still time to catch the latest instalment of the Mission: Impossible film franchise in the cinema, although the rugby league equivalent which has been playing at Craven Park for the past few months has now reached its conclusion.

Indeed, those who remember the long-running television series which spawned the films might well be able to picture Barrow Raiders head coach Paul Crarey sitting at home each week, going through a file picking out the players for upcoming fixtures in much the same manner as Peter Graves’ Jim Phelps character did with his IMF team members for the episode’s upcoming mission in some vaguely Communist Bloc-sounding fictional nation.

In the end, the Raiders’ future in the Betfred Championship was settled in an RFL boardroom in Manchester - something which never happened in the TV series or the films - rather than on the field thanks to the decision to expand the division to 14 teams from 2019.

But that has in no way diminished what Crarey and his players have achieved this year.

To borrow one of Crarey’s favourite phrases, Barrow were always behind the eight-ball after winning promotion in the League One play-off final due to having to start their recruitment with few players not already having a club sorted and temporarily being in RFL special measures.

Throw into the mix injuries - both short and long-term - which ravaged the squad, boardroom and financial turmoil, and having to try to compete on an even footing with full-time sides whose wage budgets dwarf the Raiders’, and you can understand why Crarey called it “Mission: Impossible”.

Against all odds though, that mission has been successful, capped off with a 34-18 win in the final home game of the season against Swinton Lions last Sunday.

“We’ve survived being last in, last on recruitment, financial restraints, injured players and we called it ‘Mission: Impossible’ that has been achieved,” said Crarey.

“I’m just so proud of the players because at times we’ve been called and at times people want changes from me, and I just laugh and think ‘you come and see what it’s like to be in my shoes’ with no players and nursing players, and other issues at the club and try to keep the lads positive.

“Sometimes it wasn’t about coaching, it was a happy ship and we’ve done that. There was no pressure right through the year, and I’ve taken a bit off the players and put it on myself.

“I’ve seen other coaches in the same position as me when I was playing do the same thing, so I’ve learnt from them and it’s paid massive dividends.”

All of which makes tomorrow’s penultimate game of the Championship season away to Sheffield Eagles something of a dead rubber, in the context of the battle against relegation at least.

Not that Crarey would countenance such thoughts though, particularly as the higher Barrow finish up the table then the more prize-money they will receive from the RFL.

Last week’s victory over Swinton combined with a 44-4 defeat away to Batley Bulldogs for Sheffield even saw Barrow move up a place to fifth in the Betfred Championship Shield Super Eights standings.

For his part, Sheffield head coach Mark Aston - a man who has, on more than occasion, had to lead his own seemingly impossible missions during his team at the South Yorkshire club - will be seeking a much-improved showing from his side.

“I was disappointed,” said Aston told the Eagles’ official website. “It’s been standard of what we’ve been about (this season); we’re not a team but a group of individuals that disrespect each other.

“You have to go toe-to-toe, set-for-set and play the game in the right areas of the field and if you don’t it’ll come to back bite you, and it did.”

Sheffield and Barrow have, of course, seen plenty of each other this season and the clash at the Olympic Legacy Park will be their fifth meeting in 2018.

It currently stands at two wins apiece, with Barrow triumphing in the league and Challenge Cup matches at Craven Park, and the Eagles winning the Summer Bash meeting and the return fixture on their own patch.

Along with wanting to finish as high as possible, Crarey is eager for the Raiders to chalk up at least one away win this season as well and he knows tomorrow is their best opportunity to do just that.

“We’re at the back end of the season, it’s job done now, and we’d like to go to Sheffield and get that away win,” said Crarey.

“If we get the win, we’d finish above them which would put us fifth in the Super Eights, which would be a tremendous achievement for this group of players with what we’ve been through.”