Barrow Raiders 26 Hunslet Hawks 25: Thackray comes back to haunt York with another late defeat

Having suffered similar agonies against Halifax and Widnes within the past month, Paul March’s side saw a 25-20 lead wiped out by former player Jamie Thackray’s converted try 30 seconds from the death.

A try from Joe Kelly 15 minutes from time, as he took a short pass from Stuart Kain on the line and dived in had put them ahead for only the second time in the match.

Joe McLocklan extended that lead to 25-20 with a well-executed drop goal and all Hunslet had to do was hold out for the last 11 minutes.

But they did not have the confidence and they coughed up possession with 90 seconds left and only 20 yards from their own line.

This was the last chance the Raiders had craved and Gary Broadbent put in ex-Great Britain man Thackray, with the hooter sounding as soon as Jamie Rooney had kicked the decisive conversion.

The home side finished the better, as they had started in the ascendancy, Chris Larkin and Michael Knowles putting Barrow 10-0 up inside 20 minutes with a try apiece.

David Clayton his back, but Jack Hughes scored for Raiders immediately after the interval on Saturday.

The Hawks went ahead for the first time when Clayton scored his second and Danny Grimshaw followed up with a third try of the evening for the South Leeds side.

Mike Backhouse reinstated Barrow’s advantage, before the agonising ending which left Hunslet disconsolate at their ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory once more in the Championship.

Barrow: Broadbent, Larkin, Blackwood, Harrison, Backhouse, Rooney, Campbell, Thackray, Mossop, James, Knowles, J. Walker, Luisi. Substitutes: Gleeson, Butler, Hughes, Finch.

Hunslet: Kain, Barnett, Latus, Clayton, Pryce, Grimshaw, D. March, Sullivan, Haigh, Helme, Oakes, Haughey, Blakeway. Substitutes: McLocklan, Lowe, Yates, Kelly.

Referee: W Turley (RFL).