PAUL Crarey was happy for Barrow Raiders to come away with a point after they had to settle for a draw against Betfred Championship bottom side Swinton Lions for the second time this season.

Similar to the previous meeting between the sides at Craven Park, it needed a last-play penalty from Jamie Dallimore to earn the Raiders a share of the spoils as the clash at Heywood Road finished 22-22.

The result represented Barrow’s first points on the road in the Championship this season and particularly with his side down to the bare bones and having to play people out of position due to injury, Raiders head coach Crarey was pleased to come away with something from the match.

“We came here with no expectations,” said Crarey. “We had five front-line players missing and Martin Aspinwall in the front row with Alec Susino and one middle off the bench on a red-hot day, so we’ll take whatever we can get.

“It’s our first point away from home, so we’re really chuffed about it and our backs were against the wall. I thought we dominated the second half and I thought there was a knock-on in the corner with two minutes to go, which wasn’t given, so it was justice we got a penalty to kick the goal right in front.

“We missed some opportunities; at times, we looked a desperate team as in trying to score off every play and we didn’t need to do that. But we came off the canvas twice when we’d put a lot of hard work in and let a soft try in off our goal-line.

“We hung on in there and it’s about 80 minutes, and we’re bruised, battered and busted, but we’re still picking up points – and we haven’t lost for three games in this division now, which is fantastic, and they were desperate to win this game.”

Crarey is hopeful Joe Bullock and Glenn Riley will have recovered from injury to face Sheffield Eagles at the Summer Bash in Blackpool this Saturday, especially as fellow prop Susino is going to be unavailable.

And he will be aiming to see his team show the same sort of character whoever is available or not as the Raiders edged closer to making sure of their place in the Championship for next year.

“We’ll try to get Joe Bullock and other players back for the Summer Bash, but it’s 11 points for us now and we’re slowly chipping away at the points and taking what we can get, and are fighting to stop in this division,” said Crarey.

“I said to them at the end ‘never be disappointed with a point away from home in this division. It’s about our quest to stay up and getting everything we can, even from the jaws of defeat, which we did in this game.

“What we have done as a team is shown some composure at the back end of games, rather than give up and throw the towel in with three minutes to go.”