Barrow Raiders’ players are being given time to rest during Challenge Cup final weekend, but two of their number won’t be returning for some time, as the bad news continues to pile on head coach Paul Crarey.

The Raiders have had their squad ravaged by injury throughout what has been a traumatic season, which is set to end in relegation from the Betfred Championship.

Aches and pains meant they were a man light during last week’s 44-18 defeat at Sheffield Eagles even before Danny Morrow, who was himself struggling with an injury problem, was sin-binned late on for arguing with the referee.

Just 12 players were able to take part in full training on Tuesday, with Crarey deciding to call of Thursday’s session as he didn’t want to flog some already weary bodies.

The Barrow boss has also found out the extent of the injuries suffered by Liam Paisley and Nathan Mossop and it will have hardly been music to his ears.

Crarey said: “Liam’s scan results have come back and they’re not good, as he needs a big knee reconstruction because he’s done his ACL. He’s going to be out for probably up to six months, so it’s not good news on that, and Nathan Mossop has got a grade-three tear in his shoulder that needs an op as well.”

Just to keep it raining down on the Craven Park outfit, Jono Smith, one of Barrow’s most consistent performers this year, has also played his last match of the campaign.

Smith has been handed a two-match ban for making dangerous contact during a tackle on Sheffield’s Sonny Esslemont towards the end of the first half at Olympic Legacy Park.

Crarey said: “He’s been really strong for us – he came back early from a fractured cheekbone and struggled a bit with other injuries, but he’s going to miss the last two games now, so that’s tough.”

One of the matches Smith will miss will be next Saturday’s match at runaway Betfred Championship leaders Toronto Wolfpack, where defeat will confirm the drop to League One.

Crarey is struggling to take a full squad over to Canada in the first place and still has to finalise who will be available when they fly out next Thursday.

Crarey said: “Jake Carter can’t go and that was one of the reasons he didn’t play against Sheffield, really, that he wasn’t available for Toronto because of work.

“Other lads will probably come to me now, but we don’t really know. Some are trying to get time off work, others haven’t got their visas through, which is disappointing, whether that’s our fault or theirs.

“We actually had a squad of 19 players that could have been available and Jono Smith has come off that, so that’s taken it to 18 and then there’s lads who need to find out whether they can come off work and then there’s injuries, as Danny Morrow has got an Achilles problem.”