Published at 11:08, Thursday, 31 May 2012

TALENTED scrum-half Liam Campbell ended Haven’s hopes with two late tries to add to his first-half touchdown.

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Haven were still in the contest with 10 minutes left on the clock, trailing 30-28, but they wilted in the heat in the closing stages as the visitors upped their game.

Even without player-coach Darren Holt and Liam Harrison, it was easy to see why Barrow went into the game at the top of the table, and even easier to see at the close.

Carl Sice was Haven’s best, off the bench, and Max Wiper performed his defensive duties well, while Dave Houghton shouldered a big workload up front.

But it was hard to argue with the result, even if Haven players were three times held up over the opposition line. The Raiders were the sharper side on the day.

Haven started brightly, Carl Rudd reacting quickest to touch down on three minutes when a kick rebounded off a post and he followed up with the simple conversion.

The hosts were made to pay for a high tackle on Scott Kaighan four minutes later, Andy Bracek breaking through a weak attempted tackle to score, Ryan Shaw slotting the first of his seven conversions from as many attempts.

It was end-to-end, and the Raiders almost suffered after prop Ruairi McGoff lost the ball 40 metres out and James Gordon then hit Jamie Rooney high.

Sam Gee was held up over the Barrow line, followed on the next set by Andreas Bauer, also unable to ground the ball.

Barrow’s breakthrough came in the 18th minute, the move started in his own half by Dan Toal. The loose-forward produced a great offload and winger James Nixon raced down the touchline, finding Campbell who sprinted clear for a try.

Haven wasted no time in hitting back after Rooney bounced the re-start over the sideline.

Second-row Richard Varkulis showed great strength to power over out wide, Rudd adding the extras with another fine kick.

The good work was wasted from the re-start however, Gee spilling the spiralling kick backwards and then slipping as he tried to recover, hooker James Dandy taking advantage to touch down.

Houghton has been one of Haven’s better forwards this term, and he hauled them back into the match on 26 minutes, bursting through a couple of attempted tackles to score next to the sticks, to hand Rudd a simple kick.

A turning point came on the half-hour, when Matthew Haggerty was judged to have hit Kaighan late as he kicked downfield.

The prop was sin-binned and Barrow awarded a penalty 10 metres out. They did not waste the chance, Gordon’s fine delayed pass putting James Finch in for a try.

Haven continued to press as half-time approached, with Loz Hamzat bundled in to touch as he dived for the corner.

The reply finally came from Sice, who jinked through the line to touch down, Rudd adding the extras to level it at 24-all. Barrow fans were furious over the try, claiming the hooker spilled the ball as he neared the line.

But ref Tom Crashley seemingly ruled that a defender had knocked the ball backwards out of Sice’s grasp and the Haven man then touched it down.

Another Sice break sparked Haven in to life on 46 minutes, and when Barrow conceded a penalty for interference in front of the posts, the home bench signalled a goal attempt.

Instead, they ran the ball and the decision paid off, Jessie Joe Parker crashing over to put his side in front.

Barrow continued to press and their reply came four minutes later, after Rooney’s goal-line drop-out went out on the full.

Centre Shaw nipped over from dummy-half, and he then converted to give the Raiders a two-point lead.

Haven were still creating chances, and after Hamzat was held up over the Barrow line, Craig Calvert was unable to gather Rooney’s chip with the whitewash at his mercy.

The final 10 minutes belonged to the visitors, and in particular, the unstoppable Campbell. He capitalised with a try after Gee lost the ball on half-way and Haven were then caught offside, and two minutes later he completed his hat-trick in style.

The scrum-half ran across the tiring Haven defensive line before darting through a gap to score.

Haven: Bauer, Calvert, Wiper, Parker, Hamzat, Rooney, Karalius, Houghton, Gee, Cullnean, Varkulis, Doran, Rudd. Subs: Sice, Isakka, Crellin, Haggerty.

Tries: Rudd, Varkulis, Houghton, Sice, Parker

Goals: Rudd 4

Barrow: Ballard, Backhouse, J Finch, Shaw, Nixon, Kaighan, Campbell, Butler, Dandy, McGoff, Bracek, Gordon, Toal. Subs: Ostler, Dawson, Ventner, L Finch.

Tries: Bracek, Campbell 3, Dandy, J Finch, Shaw

Goals: Shaw 7

Attendance: 1,124Referee: Tom CrashleyStar Man: Carl Sice

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk