BARROW Raiders racked up 50 points for the fourth game in a row and extended their winning start to the season to 12 games after overcoming a spirited South Wales Ironmen side 58-16 at Craven Park on Saturday evening.

Two tries apiece from Ryan Fieldhouse, Luke Cresswell and Nathan Mossop helped the hosts secure the win to keep the pressure on Kingstone Press League One leaders Toronto Wolfpack, along with ensuring a positive start to a period which sees the Raiders play three times in eight days.

As a result, Barrow head coach Paul Crarey made six changes for the match, with Karl Ashall making his first appearance of the season at hooker and Danny Morrow coming back into the second row after both completed their respective recoveries from injury.

Matty While, Tom Loxam and Ryan Johnston also came into the starting line-up, with Tom Walker earning the start at prop in place of rested captain Ollie Wilkes.

The hosts adapted quickly to the changes though and were ahead after just four minutes following a South Wales knock-on, with the ball moving from the base of a scrum through the hands of Johnston and Lewis Charnock to Fieldhouse for him to grab a try which Charnock converted.

South Wales came back though and a high kick from player-assistant coach Paul Emanuelli caused confusion in the Raiders defence, only for Chris Vitalini to throw a wayward pass which full-back Fieldhouse collected to defuse the danger.

A swift attack from Barrow then led to winger Loxam getting his first try in a Barrow shirt, racing in from 40 metres out to score in the corner after being set up by Declan Hulme.

Seven minutes later, Ashall found a way through to score under the posts on his return, picking up from a play-the-ball after Joe Bullock had been held up just short of the line.

The Ironmen enjoyed something of a purple patch after this though and were rewarded when interchange forward Sion Jones shrugged off several would-be tacklers to get the ball down for a try which Emanuelli converted on 23 minutes.

However, Barrow regathered their composure and a grubber kick through from loose forward James Duerden – of all people – was fumbled by a defender in his own in-goal, to which stand-off Johnston reacted quickest to for a converted try.

Interchange man Mossop was then the beneficiary following a strong run and offload from Dan Toal, and the hooker then turned provider for Duerden on the stroke of half time after the Raiders had the South Wales defence in disarray.

It was the Ironmen who started the second half brighter though and they were in for their second try on 49 minutes when experienced prop Jamie I'Anson barged his way over out wide for an unconverted score.

But Barrow slowly roused from their slumber and two consecutive penalties for stripping the ball in the tackle saw South Wales pinned on their own line, with the Raiders duly taking advantage and working the ball out wide for Fieldhouse to send Cresswell over.

Four tries in the space of 10 minutes then took the game well and truly beyond the Ironmen's reach, with Fieldhouse, Morrow – taking a cheeky one-handed flick-pass from Ashall – Mossop and Creswell all finding a way through, with Johnston adding two conversions.

Connor Farrer did have the last word for the Ironmen with a try from an error which was converted by Emanuelli, but the game finished on a sour note for the half-back after he was sin-binned for a high tackle two minutes from time.

Barrow Raiders: Ryan Fieldhouse; Luke Cresswell, Declan Hulme, Jarrad Stack, Tom Loxam; Ryan Johnston, Lewis Charnock; Joe Bullock, Karl Ashall, Tom Walker, Danny Morrow, Dan Toal, Matty While. Interchange: Nathan Mossop, Andrew Dawson, Brad Brennan, James Duerden.

South Wales: Andrew Gay; Connor McGrath, Morgan Jefferies, Ashley Bateman, Ben Jones; Paul Emanuelli, Shaun Owens; Jamie I'Anson, Connor Farrer, Connor Parker, Zak Williams, Christiaan Roets, Chris Vitalini. Interchange: Kristian Butler, Sion Jones, Jordan Antony Syme, Kade Breen.

Referee: Liam Staveley.