MATCH-UPS with promotion hopefuls London Broncos, Toronto Wolfpack and Leigh Centurions see Barrow Raiders face a baptism of fire on their Championship return.

The fixture list for the 2018 campaign was released this morning, with Raiders facing what the club have called a ‘fearsome February’ against three of the sides looking to reach Super League.

They open up with a first trip to Ealing Trailfinders to play the Broncos on Sunday, February 4 – their first encounter with the capital side since they were beaten 82-8 by the then-Harlequins outfit in the Challenge Cup in 2006.

That is followed by home matches against Wolfpack – whom Barrow visited twice last season without welcoming them to Craven Park – and Leigh, relegated from the top-flight last season.

A trip to Batley’s always formidable Mount Pleasant ends the month – although its renaming as the Foxs Biscuits Stadium takes away some of the edge.

Coach Paul Crarey knows it is a tough start to life back in the second tier – earned after the League One play-off final win over Whitehaven – and said: “It’s a case of hang onto your hats and here we go. That’s a start-and-a-half.”

“I think it is going to be a massive challenge for us, there is no harder start than what we have got against potential Super League teams.

“At least we have got Toronto to play at home and we have got Leigh at home, which will be great for our crowd. Hopefully we can compete and see where we are.

“That’s where we are probably not at, the top end of the table which is where they will be. To be realistic we are fighting to stay up.”

He added: “We know how hard it is going to be and like I said after the game against Whitehaven it will be a little minor miracle if we do stay up, but we will give it our best shot as a group.

“This is what we have strived for for three years, to be with these elite teams, and it is a case of getting ready for the start which is probably going to be really brutal.

“Toronto and Leigh at home is a dream start for the fans and I am sure they will get behind us.”

Raiders will partake in the Summer Bash for the second year in succession, hoping to emulate their League One Cup final win over North Wales when they take on Sheffield at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool, on Saturday, May 26.

Other notable dates include the trips to Toulouse Olympique on Saturday, April 7 and to Toronto Wolfpack on Saturday, June 23.

There will also be a double-header over the Easter weekend for the first time in several seasons, with a Good Friday trip to Halifax followed by a home match with Swinton on Easter Monday.

Barrow’s regular season will end with the visit of the Broncos to Craven Park on Sunday, July 29.

That will be followed by the middle-eights, with the top-four teams in the Championship playing the bottom-four in Super League for a place in the top-flight in 2019.

The remaining eight Championship teams will contest the Championship Shield, with relegation to League One facing the bottom-two sides – unless the Rugby Football League change the league structures once more.

Preparations for the season begin with pre-season games against Keighley Cougars (January 14) and Whitehaven (January 28), with other fixtures to be confirmed.

FULL BARROW RAIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURE LIST

Sunday, February 4: London Broncos v Barrow Raiders, 3pm, Ealing Trailfinders.

Sunday, February 11: Barrow Raiders v Toronto Wolfpack, 3pm, Craven Park.

Sunday, February 18: Barrow Raiders v Leigh Centurions, 3pm, Craven Park.

Sunday, February 25: Batley Bulldogs v Barrow Raiders, 3pm, Mount Pleasant.

Sunday, March 4: Barrow Raiders v Dewsbury Rams, 3pm, Craven Park.

Sunday March 11: Rochdale Hornets v Barrow Raiders, 3pm, Spotland.

Sunday, March 25: Barrow Raiders v Sheffield Eagles, 3pm, Craven Park.

Friday, March 30: Halifax v Barrow Raiders, 7.30pm, The Shay.

Monday, April 2: Barrow Raiders v Swinton Lions, 3pm, Craven Park.

Saturday, April 7: Toulouse Olympique v Barrow Raiders, 2.30pm BST, Stade Ernest Argeles.

Sunday, April 15: Barrow Raiders v Featherstone Rovers, 3pm, Craven Park.

Sunday, April 29: Leigh Centurions v Barrow Raiders, 3pm, Leigh Sports Village.

Sunday, May 6: Barrow Raiders v Batley Bulldogs, 3pm, Craven Park.

Sunday, May 20: Swinton Lions v Barrow Raiders, 3pm, Heywood Road.

Saturday, May 26: Barrow Raiders v Sheffield Eagles, 3pm, Bloomfield Road, Blackpool.

Sunday, June 10: Barrow Raiders v Rochdale Hornets, 3pm, Craven Park.

Sunday, June 17: Featherstone Rovers v Barrow Raiders, 3pm, Post Office Road.

Saturday, June 23: Toronto Wolfpack v Barrow Raiders, 9.30pm BST, Lamport Stadium.

Sunday, July 1: Barrow Raiders v Halifax, 3pm, Craven Park.

Sunday, July 8: Dewsbury Rams v Barrow Raiders, 3pm, Crown Flatt.

Sunday, July 15: Barrow Raiders v Toulouse Olympique, 3pm, Craven Park.

Sunday, July 22: Sheffield Eagles v Barrow Raiders, 3pm, Olympic Legacy Park.

Sunday, July 29: Barrow Raiders v London Broncos, 3pm,Craven Park.