JAMIE Dallimore kicked a penalty three minutes from time to get Barrow Raiders out of jail and earn them a 16-16 draw at home to Swinton Lions in the Easter Monday Betfred Championship match at Craven Park.

The hosts had led by two points at the break on the back of two converted tries from Shane Toal, but an opportunistic try from Hayden Hansen, converted by former Raiders player Chris Hankinson, saw the Lions dreaming of their first league victory of the season.

Instead, they had their hearts broken by Dallimore in the closing stages of the match when they gave away a penalty which the stand-off duly kicked from 30 metres out to ensure it finished honours even.

The Raiders welcomed Dallimore and Jarrad Stack back into the starting line-up after completing their respective suspensions, while Jono Smith, Joe Bullock, Dan Toal, Karl Ashall and skipper Martin Aspinwall all returned after missing the Good Friday defeat at Halifax.

Swinton, who went into the match aiming to end a winless start to the league campaign, included a familiar face in Hankinson. Also included was former Dalton junior Liam Paisley, who is with the Lions on dual-registration terms from Wigan Warriors.

It was the visitors who got on the scoreboard after just five minutes, with a kick from scrum-half Jack Hansen forcing a drop-out which led to Liam Forsyth scoring out wide after chasing down a grubber from Craig Mullen.

The try went unconverted though and the Raiders hit back on 18 minutes. A break from close to his own line from Jono Smith after collecting a kick saw him go 30 metres, followed by two straight penalties against Swinton putting the home side within striking distance.

That led to Barrow working the ball out wide via the hands of Ryan Fieldhouse and Declan Hulme for winger Toal to score in the corner, along with Dallimore kicking the conversion from close to the touchline.

Barrow extended their lead seven minutes later with a try which was a near-on carbon copy of the first, with Karl Ashall setting up Fieldhouse, who in turn passed for Hulme to send over favourite target Toal – with Dallimore again kicking the extras.

However, Swinton had narrowed the gap to two points at half time thanks to a converted try on 30 minutes which saw Hayden Hansen jink his way through for a try converted by Hankinson following a scrum 10 metres out after a knock-on.

Dallimore kicked the Raiders four points clear five minutes into the second half after being taken out off the ball, but it was Swinton who started to dominate the possession and territory – only for Barrow to hold firm and Hankinson being denied a try due to an obstruction.

That was until with 15 minutes to go when Brett Carter spilled the ball while bringing it out on a kick return, and Hansen snaffled it and sprinted clear for a try behind the posts which Hankinson easily converted.

However, the Raiders were at least able to preserve their unbeaten home record when Dallimore booted over his second penalty of the afternoon three minutes from time and earn a share of the spoils.

Barrow Raiders: Ryan Fieldhouse; Shane Toal, Declan Hulme, Gene Ormsby, Brett Carter; Jamie Dallimore, Karl Ashall; Joe Bullock, Dean Parata, Alec Susino, Jono Smith, Jarrad Stack, Martin Aspinwall. Interchange: Nathan Mossop, Glenn Riley, Dan Toal, Tom Walker.

Swinton Lions: Craig Mullen; Marcus Webb, George Tyson, Rhodri Lloyd, Liam Forsyth; Chris Hankinson, Jack Hansen; Ben Austin, Luke Waterworth, Andrew Thornley, William Hope, Liam Paisley, Josh Barlow. Interchange: Kyle Shelford, Aaron Hall, Hayden Hansen, Mark Nicholson.

Referee: Tom Grant.