Barrow Raiders have found out they will have to wait almost a month into their season before playing their first league game after their fixtures for the 2020 season were released on Sunday.
With the Raiders receiving a bye for the first round of Betfred League One fixtures, their quest to win promotion back to the Championship at the first time of asking finally gets under way with a tough trip to Doncaster.
The big-spending Dons are expected to be one of Barrow’s fellow contenders at the top and the match at the Keepmoat Stadium on March 1 has the look of a crucial one even at that early stage.
Prior to that, Paul Crarey’s side will take part in at least one Challenge Cup tie, with them entering at the third round on February 9. The fourth round, should they make it, will be two weeks later.
The first home league game of the season will be against Coventry Bears on March 8.
The return match against Doncaster takes place at Craven Park on July 5, while the matches against Newcastle Thunder are also expected to have a bearing in who goes up.
The Tynesiders come to Barrow on May 17, while the return trip to Kingston Park on September 8 is the Raiders’ final fixture of the regular season.
The season brings the return of the Cumbrian derby against Workington Town, who Barrow will also be facing in one of their pre-season friendlies in January.
A bumper crowd is to be expected at Craven Park when Workington are in town on Good Friday (April 10), while a strong travelling contingent will head up the coast to Derwent Park on June 21.
The first round of the 1895 Cup - the competition for Championship and League One clubs - takes place on April 19, while the second round and quarter finals are both scheduled for midweeks.
Betfred League One fixtures
Sun Feb 9: Challenge Cup round three
Sub Feb 16: bye
Sun Feb 23: Challenge Cup round four
Sun Mar 1: Doncaster (A)
Sun Mar 8: Coventry Bears (H)
Mar 14/15: Challenge Cup round five
Sun Mar 22: North Wales Crusaders (A)
Sun Mar 29: Keighley Cougars (A)
Apr 4/5: Challenge Cup round six
Fri Apr 10: Workington Town (H)
Sun Apr 19: 1895 Cup round one
Sun Apr 26: London Skolars (H)
Weds Apr 29: 1895 Cup round two
Sun May 3: Rochdale Hornets (A)
May 9/10: Challenge Cup quarter finals
Wed May 13: 1895 Cup quarter finals
Sun May 17: Newcastle Thunder (H)
Sun May 24: West Wales Raiders (H)
Sun May 31: Hunslet (A)
Jun 6/7: Challenge Cup & 1895 Cup semi-finals
Sun Jun 14: Keighley Cougars (H)
Sun Jun 21: Workington Town (A)
Sun Jun 28: bye
Sun Jul 5: Doncaster (H)
Sat Jul 11: West Wales Raiders (A)
Sat Jul 18: Challenge Cup & 1895 Cup final
Sun Jul 26: North Wales Crusaders (H)
Sat Aug 1: London Skolars (A)
Sun Aug 9: Rochdale Hornets (H)
Sun Aug 16: Hunslet (H)
Sun Aug 23: Coventry Bears (A)
Sun Sep 6: Newcastle Thunder (A)
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