Featherstone Rovers 18 Barrow Raiders 16

Barrow Raiders came agonisingly close to pulling off a Challenge Cup shock and repeating their victory at Featherstone eight months ago through a gutsy display in an eventful fourth round tie.

Last June Paul Crarey’s side celebrated probably their best performance of a largely frustrating season that ended in relegation when winning 36-16 in the Championship at Rovers’ LD Nutritions Stadium.

In a hard-fought contest, in which the Raiders were reduced to 11 men at one stage and Rovers played with only 12 for over 40 minutes, the Cumbrians twice came from behind to lead before being edged out, amidst some controversy, by a converted try less than five minutes from time.

Raiders were without Jono Smith, forced to miss the game due to moving house, and winter acquisition Lee Jewitt, who suffered a shoulder injury the previous weekend and Crarey decided not to chance him prior to their opening League One game against Doncaster.

Their absence opened the door for Carl McBain and teenager Connor Terrill to make their debuts.

The Yorkshire side were forced to line up without their usual crop of dual registered players, all withdrawn by Leeds to prevent them being cup-tied should the Rhinos need them later in the competition.

Barrow overcame both London Skolars and Storm Dennis to earn the trip to the much refurbished West Yorkshire ground, these days boasting two plush new stands, and were again confronted by a gusting wind and a period of driving rain.

Raiders got away to the perfect start when Ryan Johnston kicked a morale-boosting 40-20 up the Post Office Road slope at the end of the very first set.

Wartovo Puara sent Luke Creswell, who scored a hat-trick in the corresponding league match last season, in for the opening try after less than two minutes Jamie Dallimore was unable to judge the wind and drifted his conversion wide.

The lead didn’t last long as Rovers pressed for a quick reply and forced three successive sets deep in Raiders’ territory, with former Super League Star Craig Hall weaving his way across the whitewash, although also being unsuccesful with the subsequent kick.

James Harrison made a clean break and raced half the length of the field before a tremendous chase back and tackle into touch from Declan Hulme, just two metres short, maintained parity.

Ben Blackmore was denied in the same corner by a forward pass as the Raiders struggled to get away from their own line.

Midway through the half Louis Jouffret and Hall created an opening and, as the ball came loose in goal, former Barrow hooker Dean Parata was first to react and touch down.

Dan Toal came off the bench to give the Raiders more punch and it was he who put Furness academy product Terrill in for a try beside the posts on his first senior appearance, with Dallimore this time converting to tie the scores.

Rovers were sensationally reduced to 12 men when off of the bench captain James Lockwood seemed to lift a foot into the midriff of the on-rushing Dan Toal, pole-axing the Barrow man, and receiving a red card from referee Aaron Moore.

Despite playing down the hill, Barrow were subjected to waves of pressure from the depleted hosts in the early stages of the second half, not helping their cause by conceding needless penalties.

Cresswell spilled a half-chance on rare excursion forward and, as Raiders were put on a team warning, Hall opted to nudge them two points ahead on the awarding of Rovers 12th penalty.

It was unlucky 13 for Perry Singleton, who was shown a yellow card when Mr Moore was forced to blow again on the hour.

It rapidly got worse for the visitors when Hulme was also sin-binned for lifting above the horizontal as Luke Cooper had his face planted into the ground.

Now down to 11 for six minutes, some desperate defence was called for and, seconds after Singleton returned to the fray, Jordan Walne crashed under the posts to regain the lead for Barrow.

Dallimore converted to give Raiders a four-point cushion but with just under five minutes remaining, Rovers were awarded a controversial penalty for ‘not standing square’ and Gareth Gale scored to level things again in the corner.

Hall duly landed the conversion from near the break Barrow hearts despite Carl Forster and Shane Toal coming within inches of scoring with seconds to go.

Featherstone Rovers: Hall, Blackmore, Hardcastle, Carey, Gale, Jouffret, Sweeting, Susino, Parata, Cooper, Ferres, Bussey, Harrison.

Interchange: Lockwood, French, Ottewell, Albert.

Tries: Hall 8, Parata 20, Gale 75.

Goals: Hall 3

Barrow Raiders: Cresswell, Ritson, Hulme, Singleton, S Toal, Dallimore, Johnston, Forster, Puara, McBain, Hopkins, Morrow, Walne.

Interchange: Duffy, D Toal, Terrill, Tyson.

Tries: Cresswell 2, Terrill 32, Walne 71.

Goals: Dallimore 2.

Referee: Aaron Moore

Attendance: 1,210

Raiders star man: Ryan Johnston