Paul Crarey expressed pride and frustration in equal measures after battling Barrow Raiders came within five minutes of causing a huge Coral Challenge Cup shock at predicted Championship front-runners Featherstone Rovers.

The West Yorkshire side have won both of their two away league games and are hotly tipped to again push for promotion to Super League in seven months time but the Raiders head coach watched as his side twice got their noses in front, only to concede a late converted try following a hotly contested penalty.

Rovers Dean Parata, who played at Craven Park in 2018, fumbled the ball with the hosts pressing, only for referee Aaron Moore to award them the last of 14 penalties against Barrow, who are currently a division below them.

“I thought we were the better side, played some great football and even went down to 11 men at one stage,” pointed out Crarey.

“The game was really quick but I thought that the penalty we gave away on Parata - where we knew he would hold the ball up and run from dummy half.

“We got our hands on his arms (and the ball came loose) and the referee gave a penalty.

“It was a real turning point as for me, it wasn’t a penalty, there were only a few minutes left and they scored off of that set.

“But I can’t praise my fellas enough - to play like we did and probably out-play them - but we just didn’t come up with the goods at the end.

“It was really ferocious and there are some really sore bodies in there. The chairman of Fev, Mark Campbell, just walked in and gave them a crate of beer, saying 'the best team lost'.

“We’ve set our standards and we go to Doncaster next week ready to play again from minute one to minute 80 and see where that takes us.

“Today should be a massive confidence booster because they are gutted about losing as the best team should have won.”

Luke Cresswell and teenage debutant Connor Terrill scored first half tries, with Craig Hall and Parata replying for Featherstone, before Jordan Walne gave Barrow the lead again nine minutes from the end, only for Gareth Gale’s late touchdown and Hall’s near to the touchline conversion to snatch a place in round five.