THERE was to be no Giants killing as Barrow Raiders Ladies suffered away-defeat in their only pre-season friendly of the campaign.

Amanda Wilkinson’s side made the trip to Yorkshire to face Huddersfield Giants Women.

And they were given an insight into just how tough life could be when they embark on their very first season in the top tier of the women’s game - losing 30-8.

Giants, an established Super League outfit, dominated for large swathes of the game and opened the scoring inside the opening five minutes.

The 30-8 scoreline won’t have worried Raiders head coach Amanda Wilkinson too much.

She had deliberately chosen Giants as Raiders only friendly opponents as she knew they would not only present her side with a tough challenge, but also allow her to get a good measure of where the side was currently at.

Having won promotion last season, Raiders are set to make history when kick-off their Super League campaign in April.

That gap will give Wilkinson and her team time to fine tune things before the league gets underway, although they do have three Challenge Cup clashes before their Super League curtain-raiser away to Wigan Warriors Women.

Ana Da Silva’s try on four minutes was converted on Frankie Townend to put the hosts 6-0 up.

Louis Naidole was next to cross for the Yorkshire side and again Townend was on target with the kick to make it 12-0.

Raiders went close to narrowing the deficit on 22 minutes, but were denied after a knock-on.

Both sides had agreed beforehand to split the game into quarters, and Wilkinson’s side managed to hit back after the first restart.

Alice Rush crossed for Barrow’s first try of the afternoon, but Jodie Litherland was unable to convert, which made it 12-4.

With half-time looming Bethan Oates crashed through the away defence to touch down and again Townend was up to the task with the boot as Giants extended their lead to 18-4.

Just before the hour mark, and with the third quarter coming to a close, Paige Webster added a try for the hosts, and with Townend duly obliging with the kick it was 24-4 to Giants.

A Chloe Fairbank try and a conversion from Townend rounded off the scoring for the home side.

Two minutes later Claire Hutchinson crossed for Raiders to make it 30-8, with Litherland’s conversion attempt falling short of the posts.

It was tough scoreline for the visitors to take back home to Barrow, but the game was always about so much more than the result for Wilkinson.

Next up for Raiders Ladies is a Challenge Cup clash away to Cardiff Demons on Saturday, March 16.