Whitehaven 16

Barrow Raiders 32 

The Cumbrian bragging rights were recaptured by Paul Crarey’s Barrow with victory in the first ever meeting between Whitehaven and Barrow at the Championship’s showpiece event The Summer Bash held in scorching conditions at York’s LNER Community Stadium.

The Raiders scored five tries to Haven’s three with two tries in the final quarter of an hour of the second half giving the score line a slant it maybe didn’t deserve despite a consolation try in the final minutes of the game from Haven who have now lost three successive games on the bounce. 

The designated home side in Whitehaven got the first try of the encounter as Curtis Teare grounded the ball while somersaulting in the left hand side corner.

The ball had come right to left from the base of a scrum and Haven were able to find an overlap in the left hand side corner allowing Haven's leading try scorer this season Teare to score. Josh Rourke couldn't convert from near the touchline. 

The lead was only short lived however as the Raiders soon hit back. Being awarded a penalty marched them up the field and went for the kill from play 1, the ball went several pairs of hands before landing in the grasp of Shane Toal.

The outside back showed his pace up against the Haven defence and danced his way over to level the scores. Ryan Shaw had no issues converting from out wide to give the Raiders a slight advantage.

However once again the scores didn't stay that way for long. The Raiders defence were penalised for offside and the Whitehaven bench wasted no time in signalling to go for goal. Josh Rourke duly delivered by slotting over the two points to bring scores level. 

Whitehaven continued to have the lion's share of possession and territory but found their last play options lacking and Barrow were able to take advantage with two tries in the final 15 minutes to cement an half time lead. Danny Langtree continued to be a leader for his side in both attack and defence and was able to find what seemed an impossible offload to find Luke Cresswell and the Raiders full back going over untouched.

The pressure continued to be piled on and with a pin point kick from Raiders trapping Dave Eccleston behind the try line and conceding a goal line drop out the result seemed inevitable. From the resulting set the Raiders got their third try of the half with the mercurial Jarrod Sammut throwing an outrageous dummy while in position at dummy half before simply scooting over to score.

Ryan Shaw converted both tries for a 12 point lead at the break with Josh Rourke missing an attempt at goal after the hooter following a high shot on Alex Bishop. 

The second half was bookended with Whitehaven tries starting and ending with tries for Jonty Gorley's side but two tries in between from the Raiders were enough to secure revenge from the tight defeat in the easter derby clash at Craven Park.

The half's opening try went to Curtis Teare as it had in the first half and with even more of an acrobatic finish similar to the one that had secured victory for Haven at the same venue earlier in the season in their Championship encounter vs York. Rourke continued to struggle with the boot as his conversion attempt slide across the front of the posts. 

Despite the set back the Raiders continued to dominate and were finally rewarded in the second half through Danny Langtree, a poor final play option from Whitehaven saw a kick from Connor Holliday goes further upwards than forwards and was eventually collected by Shane Toal 10 metres into the Whitehaven half.

On the final tackle from the resulting set Langtree used his power and pace to barge over from short range in what felt like the game winning try and the celebrations both on and off the field showed the Raiders felt the same.

Shaw continued his 100% record with the boot leaving Barrow with a 14 point advantage.

That was extended to 16 points minutes later as Ryan Shaw slotted over a penalty goal.

The final Raiders score of the game came through Italian international Anton Iaria just over five minutes from the end but the hard work was once again done by Danny Langtree who moments after was awarded the game's man of the match.

Powerful running from the second rower left plenty of gaps in the Haven defence and a pass to Iaria saw the prop forward ground the ball underneath the sticks. Shaw remained perfect with the boot slotting his fifth conversion of the afternoon.

Whitehaven got their consolation try in the dying minutes with the game over as contest. Josh Rourke was able to put his issues kicking at goal behind him and sidestepped the Raiders defence to cross the whitewash. The full back was able to add the conversion to slightly improve his record with the boot on the afternoon.

 

HAVEN: 23 Josh Rourke , 2 Dave Eccleston, 3 Chris Taylor, 11 Connor Holliday, 4 Curtis Teare, 14 Jamie Doran, 7 Alex Bishop, 22 Lucas Castle, 15 James Newton, 10 Tom Walker, 12 Lachlan Lanskey, 19 Ryan King, 17 Guy Graham

Subs: 13 Dion Aiye, 16 Lasarusa Tabu, 24 Daniel Spencer-Tonks , 28 Ross Ainley

Tries: Teare 2 (11,50), Rourke (77). Goals: Rourke 2/5

RAIDERS: 1 Luke Cresswell, 5 Ryan Shaw, 25 Keanan Brand , 2 Shane Toal, 24 Luke Broadbent, 6 Jarrod Sammut, 7 Ryan Johnston, 15 Ellis Gillam, 22 Josh Wood, 10 Anton Iaria, 11 Danny Langtree, 12 Jarrad Stack, 13 Jack Wells

Subs: 9 Nathan Mossop, 4 Greg Worthington, 17 Charlie Emslie, 16 Sam Brooks

Tries: Toal (15), Cresswell (24), Sammut (35), Langtree (65), Iaria (75)

Goals: Shaw 6/6

Penalty count: 8-6

Half-time: 6-18
Referee: Mike Smaill