PTurner

Published at 01:00, Monday, 10 September 2007

PAUL Crarey revelled in the carnival atmosphere as Barrow Raiders cemented third place in National League Two.

The home side ran in five tries as second-placed Featherstone were dismissed 30-4, Liam Harrison, Nick Beach, Khamal Ganley, Pat Weisner and Michael Basan all touching down in front of a crowd of 1,901.

And Crarey was quick to praise the crowd and his players for pushing Barrow into the play-offs on a high.

“Our goal is to get to the Grand Final, whatever happens there on the day doesn’t matter,” he said.

“Our goal as a club is to give the people of Barrow something to shout about.

“Today the support of 1,901 was absolutely fantastic and the atmosphere — I haven’t seen anything like it in a long time at this club.

“Celtic Crusaders was special, but tonight was something else.

“They were chanting and clapping and there was a great carnival atmosphere on the terraces.

“To think of where we were 18 months, two years ago, what we have achieved at the club is amazing.

“We probably don’t see it as much as anybody coming into the ground for the first time, but everyone should be really proud at the club.

“I think the support is absolutely fantastic, it’s just a measure of the growth of the club and how far we have come.

“To get 1,900 people in here for the last game of the season is phenomenal.

“We’re probably one of the best supported sides in National League Two and we don’t put any gimmicks on.

“It’s not £1 to get in — and no disrespect to the clubs who have done that — we can’t afford to do that.

“To be supported like we have been, and people have really got behind us, the lads are giving everything they have got.

“It makes your hair stand on end when the chant goes up and you score a try and the crowd are getting behind you. It’s just a great atmosphere.”

Things were all-square at 4-4 on the half-hour, with Barrow being forced to defend their lines.

But Beach’s try before the break laid the groundwork for a stronger attacking display afterward, with Crarey adding: “We tidied ourselves up a little bit and got a little bit smart with the football and scored some tremendous tries.

“I thought in the second half we might fatigue and I said to the lads that we needed to complete sets to stop the fatigue factor.

“We did that and we ran at 79 per cent, which is fantastic and we have scored some fantastic tries and again our goal-line defence was fantastic.”

* Match reeport and more pictures — pages 34/35.

* Barrow RL are taking bookings for coaches to Featherstone in the play-off on Sunday, September 23. Contact the Rugby Shop, Scott Street, Barrow.

* Celtic Crusaders were automatically promoted into League One with a 60-16 win at Gateshead yesterday.

* Ulverston were the first winners of the Ivor Kelland Memorial Trophy after defeating Millom 46-30 at Kelland Park.

Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk