ANYONE looking through a team-sheet featuring names the names of Carter, Crarey and Marwood may have been forgiven for thinking they were watching a Barrow side from another era when they arrived at Craven Park on Wednesday evening.

But rather than Darren, Paul and Dean pulling on the famous blue shirt again, it was their sons Jake, Joe and Blain stepping out on to the field for Furness Raiders Under-19s as they took on a Barrow and District League representative team.

Darren Carter, now heading up the team which has been formed in partnership with Furness College, and Barrow Raiders head coach Paul Crarey were both looking on as their progeny grabbed two tries apiece in the 54-6 victory, with Marwood doing likewise.

“I was saying that to Paul,” said Carter senior. “Some of the try-scorers were Marwood, Crarey and Carter, so it was quite interesting that side of it.

“It's really nice because we've all played here as well, but overall I thought Blain and Joe both played well at hooker.

“Jake played well as well. He missed a lot of last season and didn't play any of the academy games through injury, so it was great to get him back playing, and him and Ryan (Johnson) make a good partnership. I'm really pleased.”

The trio are just a small part of the 26-man squad though, with everyone getting at least 25 minutes under their belt in the match, which served as a warm-up for Furness' rearranged opening fixture in the College Rugby League, away to Loughborough College on Wednesday, October 5.

Johnson – who proved an adept goal-kicker too, with five conversions – James Lashmar and Tyler Batty got on the scoresheet as well, while Tyler Lancaster, Matty Brown and Elliot Campbell were among the 16-year-olds who got a taste of what open-age rugby is all about.

And the biggest plus for head coach Carter was seeing the strides his side have made since losing 34-20 to the Barrow and District team earlier in the year.

“The result probably wasn't important whatsoever,” said Carter. “The most important thing for us was the fact their coach came up to me and said what a massive difference it was from when we played them last time.

“He said the team had developed, matured and come along, and that's probably the most rewarding thing. In some parts of the game, we looked really sharp, looked like we could score tries and we're really pleased with that part of it.

“In the second group, there were still four players who are 16 now and were playing under-16s on Sunday. I've been asking them how they felt and they said it was fantastic.

“They loved stepping up and playing with the older players, and the pace was a lot quicker. Just in that, they gave great accounts of themselves.”

There is still much for the young side to learn both off the pitch as well as on it as the link-up with the college allows them to continue their education alongside developing their rugby skills, in the hope they will one day progress to the Barrow senior team.

And while the next generation of the Carter, Crarey and Marwood clans might be a year or two away from being involved in the professional game, the head coach is delighted with the progress made so far and excited about what the future holds.

“It's dead pleasing,” said Carter. “Paul Crarey is the most enthusiastic person and it's his drive. He got me here and we've worked hard over the last 18 months and we've got loads of people in place.

“The groundwork has been done, a lot of effort has been put in place, and hopefully in one or two years' time there will be some of these players playing in the first team – and I don't see any reason why not.”