MISSION accomplished – now for part two.

That was the message from Paul Crarey after Barrow Raiders secured their place in the League One promotion play-offs with a 44-26 win over Hunslet Hawks at Craven Park.

“That’s what we set out to achieve so the pressure is now off us. We can now go for a top-three place which would give us a home tie,” he said.

“We have progressed as the season has gone on and we have put ourselves in a great spot.”

Crarey singled out Martin Aspinwall for special praise, adding: “He was immense out there as he has been all season and he played with an Achilles problem. If he doesn’t get man-of-the-match I think I’ll give up coaching.”

With injured Liam Harrison forced to watch from the sidelines, Crarey called on former Walney forward Matty Holmes in for his ninth game.

“He has played in nine games as a professional and has grown with every single one,” the Barrow boss said. “He came in and did a fantastic job and I thought he was outstanding out there today.”

It was not all sweetness and light from the Barrow coach’s point-of-view, and he expressed his frustrations at the stop-start nature, especially in the second half.

“We started really well with out structure but every time Mr Sweet (the referee) comes to town there is a massive penalty count, mostly against us,” he added.

“We were cruising and going very well but then the whistle starts for anything whatsoever which stopped our normal flow.

“The last three games we have played has been smooth and very quick, but that was one of the slowest games and it’s very frustrating for coaches and it never really got going and we got into a rut.

“For a spell in that second half it was just knocks and penalties and no shape. It wasn’t the best quality of matches to play but we needed to win.

“Last week at York we were immense – just look at today’s result with York winning at Rochdale – but today was about the loosest we have been. We let in 26 points because we thought the game was won, but it was far from won and we invited Hunslet back in.

“I thought we were a bit lazy at times but we just wanted the win to get into the five which we have now done so the pressure is off.

“If we can win in London next week and beat Keighley at home we may be able to get into third spot and – who knows? – go to Toulouse and win and get second.

“We are busted up and down to the bare bones but we will regroup this week and try and get a squad together to go down to London. We definitely need to get some bodies back.”