Barrow Raiders 18 Dewsbury Rams 14: Coach Jowitt praises Rams as they leave Raiders clinging on

The Rams closed from 18-4 down to 18-14 with 22 minutes left and dominated thereafter, but were unable to find a winning score.

Early scores from Mike Backhouse and Andy Ballard – the latter after a 70-metre interception – put Barrow 12-0 up after eight minutes, but the visitors soon hit back.

Winger Austin Buchanan scored the first of his brace on the evening as he went through a gap down the left wing, but Raiders responded through Chris Larkin.

His try on 33 minutes was Barrow’s last of the match and Buchanan had his second in the same spot before half-time to reduce the deficit to 18-8.

Elliott Hodgson was halted only a few feet short on the hooter, with Buchanan being forced into touch as he looked to make it a hat-trick seven minutes into the second half.

Elliott Cosgrove knocked on in a tackle from Backhouse as he was stopped short, before Dominic Brambani cut the gap to four points when he sidestepped through the Raiders defensive line from five yards out.

That made for a very uncomfortable final quarter for the hosts, but Rams’ pressure and territory could not produce a score.

The final hooter came as relief for Barrow, with Rams coach Warren Jowitt feeling his team deserved more than a bonus point.

“We’ve shown today that we are a team who can compete and who can play at the top end of this table. I’m not pleased that we have lost, but I’m very, very pleased with the performance.”

Barrow Raiders: McNallly, Ballard, Larkin, Harrison, Backhouse, Rooney, Campbell, Butler, Mossop, James, Knowles, Ostler, Luisi. Substitutes (all used): Davies, Gleeson, Thackray, Walker.

Dewsbury Rams: Hodgson, Wainwright, Turner, Faal, Buchanan, Walker, Brambani, England, Glassell, Hirst, Cosgrove, Spicer, Tonks. Substitutes (all used): Menzies, Lockwood, Smith, Emblem.

Referee: G Stokes.