BEFORE a ball was kicked or carried, Barrow Raiders head coach Paul Crarey talked up the speed of his backline - but it’s forward power that has provided the Craven Park outfit with early-season momentum.

It was the battering ram presence of prop Ryan Duffy who helped turn last Sunday’s match against Doncaster in the Raiders’ favour as he scored two tries to keep them in touch following the hosts’ fast start at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Hooker Wartovo Puara then kept it in the front row when his score put Barrow in front on the hour mark before the backs made sure of what was an important win - even at such an early stage of the campaign - through Jamie Dallimore and Shane Toal.

Crarey took some inspiration from Workington Town’s 22-12 victory over the Dons in the Coral Challenge Cup the previous week.

He said: “I watched them play against Workington, and Workington tortured Donny on the short edges and with their kicking game.

“We probably haven’t got the kicking game of Workington but we’ve definitely got the short-edge plays, and we made easy metres and yardage on the short edges and when we went back through the middle, we opened up some big spaces.

“I thought Ryan Duffy was outstanding and Lee Jewitt was immense in his two spells out there.

"He controls things and he’s got good footwork at the [gain] line.

“We’ve got a big, big pack where all can play so we were a real threat.”

Barrow are making a real effort to re-engage with their fanbase this season, following last season’s relegation from the Betfred Championship and are hoping some new initiatives when it comes to bringing in younger supporters bear fruit in Sunday’s home match against Coventry Bears.

First and foremost, Crarey is hoping for more of the same when it comes to the travelling support that cheered them to their 32-22 victory at Doncaster.

He said: They were absolutely brilliant, even when we were under the pump and getting beat 16-8 at one point.

“The chant went up and they cheered us to victory and the lads went over at the end to show that they really appreciated what they had done for us.

“They gave us that extra man towards the back end of the game.”