PAUL Crarey is pleased with the progress being made by Barrow Raiders' home-grown players after they were given the opportunity to impress in yesterday's friendly at home to Coventry Bears.

The Raiders head coach wanted to use the game to give those members of the squad who have not featured as much in previous friendlies against Oldham and Whitehaven playing time, along with seeing how they reacted to being placed in new situations.

But while Crarey conceded there was room for improvement in the 36-18 win at Craven Park, he was impressed with how those players who have either stepped up from the amateur ranks or come from youth levels acquitted themselves.

“We got the win - that's what people want - but we also gave these kids game-time,” said Crarey. “It's about development and this is a division we can develop players in, and we're going to do that.

“We want to see them out there fending for themselves and putting a bit of pressure on themselves to perform, and they did that. Everyone is coming along great.

“I thought, in parts, we were very good. It was always going to be mix-and-match in parts because that's what we set out to do. I thought our kicking game in the first half was poor; we dropped it on their back three and that caused us problems, but we scored some good tries.

“It was a bit of a glue-pot of a pitch so it was never going to be a spectacle, but when we changed up again we got on the front foot and scored some good tries, but we let in some soft tries as well.”

Crarey was impressed with opponents Coventry as well and is in no doubt they are capable of making an impact in Kingstone Press League One season, particularly on their home turf.

And he cautioned his squad against taking any of the southern expansion teams lightly, particularly after believing they may have not had quite the right mindset going into this game after the Bears led 12-4 after 28 minutes in the first half.

“I think Coventry will cause a lot of teams problems when they go down there,” said Crarey. “They're a very big, physical side with two good centres and a half-back who will run the ball, so they've got a recipe for a good team if you take them lightly.

"We had a little word with the players afterwards about how they set the culture at the club and they have got to rock up as if every game is going to be a tough one.

“We spoke to them about being a little bit loose before the game and having a bit of latitude before the game.

“The tries we conceded were pretty soft, but shape and structure were pretty good, even when we changed up and had the young players out there.”

There was one concern for Crarey after try-scorer Shane Toal went off with a head injury for the second week in a row and the club will continue to monitor the winger's situation. Bradd Crellin was also forced to leave the field with a concussion, which looks set to rule him out of next week's friendly at home to Keighley Cougars.

That match is the final pre-season match for the Raiders ahead of their League One Cup fixture away to amateurs Rochdale Mayfield and Crarey knows there are still areas to work on for his side prior to both games.

“We're probably disappointed in conceding two soft tries - one was a real fast, well-worked ruck try, the other two were soft - and we let a couple of soft tries in against Whitehaven the week before,” said Crarey.

“We'll try to iron those out in the next few weeks before the League One Cup starts and before we play Keighley.

"Next week will be a big test for us against Keighley - Tom Walker, Jarrad Stack and Brett Carter will all be back, so we'll have some fire-power next week and we'll rotate again.”