A LAST-gasp penalty kick from Jack Miller meant Barrow Raiders had to settle for a share of the spoils away to Doncaster as they were held to a 24-24 draw in Sunday afternoon's Kingstone Press League One encounter.

The visitors had looked on course for victory after establishing a 12-point lead midway through the second half, only for the Dons – inspired by rampaging former Papua New Guinea international Jason Tali – fight back as injuries and tiredness began to take their toll on Barrow.

Doncaster looked like they had blown the chance to snatch anything from the match when Miller was unable to convert Tali's try in the corner two minutes from time, but the stand-off made no mistake when James Duerden was penalised for a ruck infringement just as the final hooter sounded.

Raiders head coach Paul Crarey was able to name an unchanged 17-man squad for the game after Luke Cresswell, Jarrad Stack and Martin Aspinwall all passed fitness tests, while former Barrow forward Jamie Thackray was included in the Doncaster side after completing a suspension.

A composed start from the away side was rewarded in the third minute. The forwards laid the foundation with some strong carries and then Eze Harper's grubber kick was gathered by Jamie Dallimore, who flicked the ball out wide for Luke Cresswell to score in the corner.

Barrow were in again three minutes later, Stack starting the move with a tap penalty and then Harper being held up just short before the ball was recycled for Dallimore to dart over, with Lewis Charnock converting.

Had Dallimore's pass out wide to Cresswell not flown over the wingers' head into touch then the hosts could well have been in again, but Doncaster made good progress up field and an attack fro another scrum in the Barrow 20 led to Zac Braham powering through to finish from an offload by Nick Rawsthorne, with Jack Miller adding the extras.

However, the Raiders regained their composure and after forcing a repeat set from a drop-out, Declan Hulme squared up and raced through a gaping hole in the Doncaster defence after taking a pass from Charnock – who hit the post with the conversion attempt – on 23 minutes.

Cresswell came close to adding his second try on a free play following a knock-on, only to be held up just short, but the set from the scrum led to a penalty which Charnock slotted over one minute before the interval.

It then needed some scrambling defence from Hulme to prevent the Dons getting another try just after the hooter had sounded, dragging rampaging centre Jason Tali down after he had picked up the ball from broken play inside his own 20.

Dallimore nudged Barrow further in front with a penalty on 47 minutes after Charnock was hit late off the ball, but a penalty for a high tackle gave the Dons the chance to turn the screw and they duly did when Tali found a way over the line and Miller again converted five minutes later.

Barrow surged two converted tries in front on 61 minutes when Eze Harper's excellent run in support of the hard-charging Joe Bullock saw him take a pass from the prop to score, along with Dallimore converting.

But an equally-destructive charge from Tali led to Jordie Hughes going over and then when a kick from Dallimore was controversially adjudged to have gone out on the full, Doncaster took full advantage and mounted an attack which finished with Tali scoring.

And although Miller just narrowly missed with the conversion, he took the chance to make amends in the dying second with a penalty from over 30 metres out which ensured it finished all squad.

Doncaster: Louis Sheriff; Nick Rawsthorne, Liam Welham, Jason Tali, Sam Doherty; Reece Dean, Jack Miller, Zac Braham, Kris Kesik, Russ Spiers, Charlie Martin, Brad England, Pete Green. Interchange: Makali Aizue, Jordie Hedges, Ryan Wright, Jamie Thackray.

Barrow Raiders: Ryan Fieldhouse; Luke Cresswell, Declan Hulme, Eze Harper, Brett Carter; Jamie Dallimore, Lewis Charnock; Joe Bullock, Nathan Mossop, Tom Walker, Danny Morrow, Jarrad Stack, Martin Aspinwall. Interchange: Karl Ashall, Dan Toal, James Duerden, Andrew Dawson.

Referee: Steve Race.