Barrow Raiders’ remaining five games are all crucial if they are to stave off the fear of relegation into League One after two years in the Championship.

High-riding York City Knights are the visitors to Craven Park tomorrow, followed next weekend by the Bradford Bulls.

Next on the agenda is Sheffield Eagles away followed by a trip that the club could do without to Toronto and finally Batley Bulldogs rounding off the season at Craven Park.

If these battles are not enough to contend with, coach Paul Crarey has another battle as his troops are taking a battering.

Ruled out of tomorrow’s clash with the Knights are long-term absentees Shane Toal, Bradd Crellin, Nathan Mossop and Lewis Charnock, along with Stargroth Amean, Danny Morrow and Jamie Dallimore.

Half-back Dallimore is serving a one-match ban following his sin-binning against Leigh recently, while Jono Smith and Jarrad Stack faces late fitness tests.

Crarey said: “These next two games at home to York and Bradford are vital for us. York gave us a thumping away (56-0) and they are now second in the league.They are going extremely well, winning games that many thought they wouldn’t win.

“We are looking forward to the game, we have had some good battles with them in the past. The trouble is now coming to the end of the season with five games to go is that injuries pile up and you have to go with what you’ve got.

“We have 18 fit players available - Jarrad Stack and Jono Smith will both have tests today along with Glenn Riley.

“We also have Ryan Duffy and Declan Hulme back after missing almost the entire season through injuries. Ryan, for a big lad, has put in some big minutes while Declan has only played twice.

“We need all our experienced players to get us home, but it is difficult. You need consistency but it has been hard with so much chopping and changing.”

Championship rugby is a tough competition with some teams full-time and others that have very strong squads due to their location, as it is easier for some clubs to snap up good players due to the short distance of travelling.

Barrow do well in their recruiting and are set to give a home debut to Catalans Dragons forward Paul Séguier.

Crarey added: “This league is very competitive and you need to get your best team out on the park. Sheffield beat us here on the bell (24-22), Dewsbury drew (20-20) and Swinton (33-26), all close margins.

“We have been competitive and played good open rugby - at Halifax and Toulouse recently we played really well and gave the ball plenty of air.

“Our two leading try scorers are both wingers at the moment, Tee Ritson and Deon Cross, and they’re always a threat, as has been Jarrod Stack while operating in the centre.

“People talk about ill discipline in the Swinton game, but we only conceded three penalties in the first half. That didn’t beat us, eight individual errors did. We are creating chances, which is proved by Ritson and Cross getting over the line.”

Asked what kind of a team Sheffield will put out in the away fixture on August 17 with them having a trip to Wembley the following week for the 1895 Cup final, Crarey said: “It is difficult, do they look at the final and rest players or do they play their strongest squad to keep the momentum going?”