LAST Sunday's victory over Leigh Centurions may have sent shockwaves through the Betfred Championship and beyond, but it did not come as so much of a surprise to Barrow Raiders half-back Jamie Dallimore.

Even with an impressive unbeaten home record which stretches all the way back to May 2016, few gave the part-time Raiders much of a chance against a Centurions side stacked with Super League and NRL experience, but triumph they did as a hat-trick from Shane Toal helped set up a 24-20 win.

It showed the 8-8 draw against Toronto Wolfpack the week before was no outlier and Dallimore was not totally surprised Barrow were able to come out on top against one of the full-time sides expected to be competing for promotion to Super League come the end of the season.

“It shocked me, but not in a way to say I was gob-smacked,” said Dallimore, who is also aware the Raiders cannot let their standards slip when they head to Batley Bulldogs tomorrow. “What happened at the weekend shouldn't happen, realistically, but it just shows what sort of team we've got.

“Anybody coming to Craven Park and taking on our middles are going to be in for a tough day and if we can get the mindset of how that's going to be, teams will obviously fear us.

“But going into this week, we've got to back up the last two weeks because, realistically, coming into the league and winning against the teams around you is what matters.

“We can't afford to think 'we beat Leigh, we can take these lightly' because Batley will probably be tougher than the last two games we've had.”

The result made the day even more memorable for Dallimore, who brought up the personal milestone of 150 career appearances, having enjoyed successful stints with Oldham and North Wales Crusaders prior to switching to Craven Park two years ago.

Barrow head coach Paul Crarey paid tribute to the 29-year-old, who has become a hugely influential member of the squad during that time both as a personality and a player, whether that be with the ball in hand or kicking at goal – even though the latter is a role he is happy to let others take.

“He’s like a light switch; when he goes on that field he’s a different person,” said Crarey. “When he’s off it he’s mad, but in a nice kind of way, and when he plays he’s got a passion for the game. He’s very smart and he’s been brilliant this year.

“He doesn’t like kicking. He says to me open-hearted that he doesn’t want to do it and he got to believe in himself that he’s a class kicker. He’s got some composure and the bottle to do it.

“He’s massive for the club, his presence and his desire to win games are something special and you don’t always get that. Some people just want to come and take the money and go home but he certainly doesn’t do that.”

Despite that, Dallimore has proven a prolific goal-kicker throughout his career and having served as back-up to Chris Hankinson during his first year with the Raiders, he his now doing the same for Lewis Charnock.

With Charnock sidelined due to a shoulder injury sustained in the season-opener at London Broncos, that responsibility has fallen on him again, but Dallimore is happy to continue with it for as long as is needed.

“Lewis has kicked in Super League for St Helens, so when he came in it wasn't my job to have,” said Dallimore. “I'd have happily done it, but he's a good kicker and with him not being in, I've got the responsibility.

“It's not something I mind and it's obviously a confidence thing. If you're missing regularly, you're head's in the shed and you're feeling sorry for yourself, not wanting to do it.

“But you've just got to be positive, try to get the ones you should get and maybe sneak one over from the touchline if you can.”

It is his kicking in general play which could play a big part tomorrow though when Barrow tackle the famous slope at Mount Pleasant – these days going under the name of the Fox's Biscuits Stadium.

But as far as Dallimore is concerned, the biggest focus for the Raiders must be continuing the high completion rates they have shown in the matches against Toronto and Leigh if they are to give themselves a chance of racking up another victory.

“It is a factor and probably one which is overlooked by the opposition saying they play on it every week, but at the end of the day it is what it is,” said Dallimore.

“When you go to Featherstone and places like that, it's the same and like with us getting Toronto at our place, it's our home ground and we're going to make it a fortress, and I think that's what Batley is going to be.

“They'll try to use it to their advantage, but if we can complete like we have for the last two weeks, I can't see there being a problem with us competing against anybody because we've certainly competed against two of the favourites so you've got to take a lot of heart from it.

“If we can have five points from the first four games, it's a massive achievement for the club and it sets us up for a good season together.”