IT was late BBC Radio Four broadcaster Brian Redhead who, while at the same time acknowledging the physical and sometimes brutal nature of the sport, once described rugby league as: “A very intelligent game – almost an intellectual game.”

Both sides of the sport were on display in yesterday's showdown between promotion hopefuls Barrow Raiders and York City Knights, particularly during the first 40 minutes where the defences were on top and the two sets of players were trying to find ways to outwit each other whenever they had possession.

Of course this being rugby league, there were moments where it was more akin to cult 1980s computer game Battle Chess rather than two Grandmasters summoning all of their intellectual prowess – particularly the ugly clash between Jarrad Stack and David Foggin-Johnston which sparked a brawl and saw the former arguably fortunate to not be punished further by referee John Roberts.

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But there was plenty of prodding and probing as well, with each team trying to force the other into coughing up the ball or giving away a penalty, all of the while knowing they too would have to have their wits about them if they were to make the most of their turn.

Such was the close-fought nature of the contest that the only thing which separated the two teams at the midway point was a drop-goal landed by York half-back Connor Richardson just as the hooter sounded to bring the first half to a close, but it was Barrow's approach which ultimately won the day.

Said approach consisted of taking York on up the middle and then spreading the ball wide later in the tackle count, with hookers Karl Ashall and Nathan Mossop being encouraged to make more runs from dummy-half than in the previous week's win over Newcastle Thunder.

And when the Raiders did move the ball wide, Brett Carter was the main beneficiary by scoring two tries in the corner – both of which were assisted by Eze Harper – to help them secure a 26-19 win which assured them of a top-three finish in Kingstone Press League One.

The City Knights, on the other hand, went for more of an expansive approach, with Robinson's kicking in general play creating plenty of pressure, and pacey winger Foggin-Johnston an ever-present threat.

Indeed, it was the former Warrington Wolves player who opened the scoring with an unconverted try on five minutes after Barrow had given away a penalty which allowed their opponents to set up an attack.

The hosts hit back four minutes later though; the pack making the hard yards with some good drives and then turning on the style to move the ball across the line to send Carter over for his first score which was duly converted from the touchline by Lewis Charnock.

What followed was a fascinating battle where the defences came to the fore while waiting to pounce on any error, which York did when some moments of ill-discipline – first from Stack and then from the defence lifting an attacker beyond the horizontal in a tackle – allowed Robinson to kick York level from 45 metres out one minute before half time.

He then slotted over a drop-goal to edge the City Knights ahead at the break, yet Barrow were much more composed when play resumed and their plan started to reap rewards as Tom Walker took the ball up, followed by Dan Toal darting through and setting up Ashall to score under the posts on his 150th career appearance.

Carter's second – an almost carbon copy of his first – followed five minutes later and Charnock extended the lead with a penalty on 54 minutes.

Bradley Hey hit back for York with a try 11 minutes from time, pulling down a kick from Robinson which was batted into his path, but the win was sealed on 76 minutes when Joe Bullock showed a glimpse of why he originally played as a winger when h broke through a tiring defence to score under the posts from 40 metres out.

There was still time for Hey to grab a second, but there was to be no miracle comeback as the Raiders cemented a top-three finish with three games of the Super Eights still to play.

Barrow Raiders: Luke Cresswell; Shane Toal, Declan Hulme, Eze Harper, Brett Carter; Jamie Dallimore, Lewis Charnock; Joe Bullock, Karl Ashall, Ollie Wilkes, Jarrad Stack, Bradd Crellin, Martin Aspinwall. Interchange: Tom Walker, James Duerden, Nathan Mossop, Dan Toal.

York City Knights: Ben Dent; Neville Morrison, Bradley Hey, David Foggin-Johnston, Connor Robinson; Jonathon Presley, Ross Osborne; Will Jubb, Ryan Mallinder, Jordan Cox, Joe Batchelor, Kieran Moran. Intechange: Adam Swift, Joseph Porter, Ronan Dixon, Adam Robinson.

Referee: John Roberts.