Barrow (A)

Looking forward to visiting a great old RL ground for the first time in almost 30 years. We are going to need to be on form and committed for the full 80 to come away with anything.

Barrow 18

Dewsbury 8

Att: 1,319 (they still announce their crowds)

Dewsbury MoM Hookem

Really depends what team we have out. 

With a fair bit of our spine missing, once again, I am struggling to see us get anything from this match. Maybe a more committed forward display together with some sharpness at half back will see an improvement on last week. It's a lovely old ground, one of my favourites, but I will be unable to be present this time.

Raiders 26 - 16 Rams

MoM: Davies

Here's the squad: https://www.rugby-league.com/match-centre/match-preview/2266899

2 minutes ago, creditwhereitsdews said:

Here's the squad: https://www.rugby-league.com/match-centre/match-preview/2266899

Turner back in the squad but no Rush again - anyone know why?

17 hours ago, creditwhereitsdews said:

Looking forward to visiting a great old RL ground for the first time in almost 30 years. We are going to need to be on form and committed for the full 80 to come away with anything.

Barrow 18

Dewsbury 8

Att: 1,319 (they still announce their crowds)

Dewsbury MoM Hookem

We had 1700 last weekend which was the first time we've dipped below 2000 in a long while for a league match, so hoping for many more than 1319 !!!

2 hours ago, Blind side johnny said:

Turner back in the squad but no Rush again - anyone know why?

Maybe Rush’s injury is worse than they thought. Biggest surprise is the inclusion of Brad Graham. I’d start with Beckett and Dixon at prop to hopefully put on front foot.

Barrow 22

Rams 10

fts Whiteley

mom Davies 

Officals for Sunday

• Referee: R. Cox
• Reserve Referee: L. Seal
• Touch Judge 1: P. Marklove
• Touch Judge 2: J. Hughes
• Time Keeper: B. Hartle

1 hour ago, graham fisher said:

Maybe Rush’s injury is worse than they thought. Biggest surprise is the inclusion of Brad Graham. I’d start with Beckett and Dixon at prop to hopefully put on front foot.

Barrow 22

Rams 10

fts Whiteley

mom Davies 

Given he was in a leg brace at last weeks game I very much doubt he'll be playing.

Based on last week’s BIG disappointment, I reckon we shall see the Raiders gain their second win of the season.

Barrow 30-10 Dewsbury 

FTS: Davies

MoM: Copley (on his debut!)

Att; 1553

Enjoyed today, despite the result. In the first half we showed how matches are lost and in the second we showed how they are won. We came very close to coming away with at least a point today and I think we will win at Swinton next week.

It was certainly that old cliché today -a game of two halves!

We were absolutely dross in the first period. We had to drop out in the first minute after Barrow collected from the kick off, then knocked on in the first tackle of our first set and they scored after 5 minutes We struck immediately with some good work by Sykes and Dawson almost put Greensmith over and then Hookem passed to Dawson who did score. 
 

That was our moment of glory, except for Carr going over, but a forward pass ruled out the score. The home side then went mad through good play, coupled with our shocking defence. Four tries in ten minutes smashed us, making it 26-4 at the break. 
 

An extended (45 minutes) HT break due to the club doctor having to deal with an off-field emergency made me wonder if that would go against us, but it was completely the opposite. After the Barrow winger had a try disallowed this got us on the front foot with Hookem scoring, followed by Restall going over near the corner and Sykes converting both. Suddenly it was 26-16 and we wondered if we could do it. Ten minutes elapsed before some quick passing put Greensmith in a gap to touchdown, but Sykes failed with the conversion. 
 

That was it for us and a drop goal at the end made the gap 7 points, but I do believe that if we’d had a little more time we could have got the points. 
 

I thought Harry Copley, on at full back, gave us an idea of his talent on his debut, with Davies and Hookem playing well, as did Billington. 
 

Came away quite pleased in the end, but we have to learn to play for 80 minutes, not forty. 

Didn’t go but v pleasing score given who was missing.  Bad luck to have such key players out for these games that could go either way

I wasn't there so cannot comment on the performance. What is pertinent, however, is that this may have been one of the matches that could decide our fate at the end of the season, and the next two games fit into that same category. If this trio of games were to comprise a three match losing streak then the writing will already be on the wall.

To prevent that the team has to quickly learn to put in a consistent (good) performance throughout the 80 minutes - just turning it on for one half won't suffice.

On the plus side we do seem to be seeing some promising performances from our young, relatively untested, players.

Having watched the highlights it was a game of two halves. Conceding four tries in 9 minutes is very poor. A very good second half and scoring some good tries,thought we were unlucky to have the Carr try ruled out. We need to stop the offloads when we’ve got 2 and 3 men in the tackle. Anyway onto the Swinton game,who also like to offload in the tackle.

If Lewis Carr’s touchdown was ruled out for a forward pass, shouldn’t their second try also been have disallowed?

36 minutes ago, Crown Flatter said:

If Lewis Carr’s touchdown was ruled out for a forward pass, shouldn’t their second try also been have disallowed?

I’d say so.

As cut throat as my comments may appear to be. The truth is this. No team in the championship is generally coming back from a 22 point deficit. We need to man up, cover the ball and put the opposition players on the floor, preferably on their backs. Need our tougher players back asap.