LEWIS Charnock has been having to adjust to a new life both on and off the field since making the move to Barrow Raiders.

When the goal-kicking half-back decided to sign for the club after leaving Super League side St Helens, it meant not only leaving behind the world of full-time rugby league, but also relocating to the Furness Peninsula.

But it is a move which has so far worked out well for Charnock, who has been able to find a job with Raiders sponsor Optech Fibres, and is sharing a house with Joe Bullock and fellow off-season recruit Tom Walker.

“It's really good,” said Charnock. “Obviously it was a big decision for me to move down, but I'm really enjoying it. My job is good, all the boys are welcoming and the lads who I live with are sound, so it's all good.

“It's a right laugh in the house. Joe has been showing us around and stuff, and Tom has come from Workington and moved over as well.”

Judging by his performances for Raiders so far, Charnock has needed little time to settle into his new surroundings and he currently stands as the second-highest individual point-scorer in Kingstone Press League One, with 22 heading into tonight's home game against Hemel Stags (6.30pm kick-off).

Added to that were the two tries he scored in the 20-0 Challenge Cup win over Keighley Cougars last week, including the crucial score just before half-time which broke the deadlock in the game.

Perhaps living with two members of the props union has given him an extra appreciation for the work the forwards do though, as the 22-year-old was quick to praise the pack for laying the foundation for the win in atrocious conditions.

“The first half, personally, wasn't a good performance,” said Charnock. “That score did tip them over the edge, to be honest, and it was good to get over. I was lucky enough to get a try off the back of the forwards' hard work.

“We just completed, ground them down and I just play off the back of the forwards. The forwards set the platform for us backs to play off.

“In conditions like that, the lads have to dig deep and it's more or less a forwards game. They dug deep, worked hard and we came out on top.”

The forecast suggests the weather for today's game will lend itself more to the sort of expansive rugby Barrow like to play, which could well free up Charnock and half-back partner Jamie Dallimore to cut loose.

The former St Helens and Bradford Bulls man has enjoyed playing alongside Dallimore at scrum half and has struck up what appears to be a promising partnership, although he echoed the views of Barrow head coach Paul Crarey that there is still much more to come from them.

“It's easy to play with Dalli,” said Charnock. “He talks a lot to me and being the new guy coming in, I didn't know all of the plays so he helped me through that.

“It's only the start of the season, so the more we get to know each other then the more we can play.”

Hemel come into the match at Craven Park on the back of a 12-game losing streak in League One, with their last victory coming on April 17 last year, when they won 30-14 away to South Wales.

The Stags, who controversially relocated their training base to Dewsbury last year in a bid to attract more northern-based players, have also exited both cup competitions at the first stage as well.

But Charnock will not be taking the visitors lightly, and knows Barrow cannot afford to ease off just because they are playing one of the division's strugglers.

“It's a tough competition,” said Charnock. “You've just got to keep working hard, no matter who you are playing against.

“As you can see from the results, there are banana-skins up and down the league, so we've got to keep turning up each week and not let our concentration go.

“I think the boys are working for each other, working hard in the middle and everyone is buzzing. We're playing well together and we're just grinding those wins.”