Barrow Raiders 28 Workington Town 0

Barrow Raiders completed their three pre-season games by defeating old rivals Workington Town, but they were pushed all the way to keep a clean sheet in what was Jarrad Stack’s testimonial

It was a special afternoon for captain Stack, who played for the visitors for eight seasons before transferring his sterling services over to Barrow.

It was Town who were the more adventurous in the first period, taking the game to the Raiders with fast flowing rugby but finding a way through was most difficult.

Well led by half-back Jamie Doran, Workington piled on the pressure in the opening exchanges but failed to cross the whitewash.

They came close when the ball was moved swiftly to the wing from where Alex Young was bundled into touch on the flag.

Tom Curwen and Connor Fitzsimmons were early casualties for the west Cumbrians, but they continued to apply the pressure, which saw Hanley Dawson losing the ball near the line.

It took almost 20 minutes before Barrow were in Town territory, with new recruit Lee Jewitt, who was making his first appearance for the hosts, taking play deep only for Ryan Duffy to spill the ball under the posts.

Young came to the rescue with a try-saving tackle on Declan Hulme who was sent to the line courtesy of former Town player Perry Singleton.

On the half hour, the deadlock was broken when Connor Terrill fed Hulme, who cut through to sidestep Gabriel Fell to dot the ball down, with Jamie Dallimore adding the goal.

Town almost responded when Doran broke in midfield but a fellow teammate held back a home defender and the opportunity was lost.

Terrill was held up minutes later prior to Hulme crossing from five yards out for his second try of the day, with Dallimore sending his conversion just wide.

On the hooter and from a scrum on halfway, Doran kicked to the corner with Adam Ford clearing up any danger by beating Young to boot the ball dead as Barrow turned around with a 10-0 lead.

The second half was just three minutes old when the gap was extended, as the hard-working Brad Crellin took the ball to the line, from where Ryan Johnston prised open a gap to touch down, Dallimore obliging with the goal.

Town had it all to do, but went further behind when swift hands across the park enabled Hulme to put Ford in from close range, with Dallimore’s goal making it 22-0.

Barrow were now on top and further points were on the score board.

Wartovo Puar,a in his first outing since playing a leading role in Papua New Guinea’s win over Great Britain in November, sent Johnston through a gap on halfway, and on his shoulder to score was Luke Cresswell, despite the attention of three defenders, Dallimore tagging on the extra two points.

Town, with seven former Barrow amateurs in their line-up, worked hard to score but they were denied by some sterling work in defence.

Barrow Raiders: Cresswell, Ford, Hulme, Singleton, Ritson, Dallimore, Johnston, Duffy, Puara, Jewitt, Morrow, Stack, Walne.

Interchange: Carter, Forster, Tyson, Hopkins, Emslie, Terrill, McBain, Crellin.

Tries: Hulme 2, Ford, Creswell, Johnston.

Goals Dallimore 4.

Workington: Fell, Hall, Bolton, Lancaster, Young, Doran, Forber, A Dawson, Marwood, Curwen, Scholey, H Dawson, Fitzsimmons

Interchange: Barnes, Steel, Thompson, Bickerdyke.

Referee: Mr Bennett

Attendance: 1,016