BARROW RAIDERS 18, YORK CITY KNIGHTS 31

BARROW’S bruised and battered squad put up a brave show in defeat at the hands of York at in their final game of the season.

With a massive number of players injured, Raiders could only raise the 17 players.

But the squad did the club proud in a game that saw the Knights claim a place in the play-offs.

Due to so many forwards out of action, Barrow were forced to have three backs on the bench - one Jarrod Sammut who had played the previous day in Malta who defeated Bulgaria 72-0.

Sammut, who Raiders say travelled without permission, claimed a hat-trick of tries and landed 13 goals in the international clash.

The difference in the final outcome was the sheer size of Knights’ forwards - three South Pacific giants.

Barrow looked out on their feet going 18-0 down in the early stages of the second half.

But well led by Andrew Bulman and Tom Wilkinson they got their second wind to hit a purple patch and reduce arrears at 12-18.

They were also denied a couple of tries by the narrowest of margins.

York were rattled as Barrow supporters got behind their team, but it was the big men of York who came back into the action in the later stages to end hopes of a home victory.

Barrow started brightly with Shane Toal making a telling break to release Bulman, who tore upfield, only for the cover to deny the wingman a try.

And when the Knights best player Jordan Thompson broke on halfway, Greg Worthington hauled him down.

It was nip and tuck, until the deadline was broken on 28 minutes, giant substitute Pauli Pauli drove forward into Barrow territory from where Jesse Dee sent Oli Field in for the try (0-4).

Five minutes later, swift play from the Knights saw Ronan Michael touchdown, Liam Harris tagging on the goal (0-10).

And Harris added a penalty goal to close the half at (0-12).

The second half was barely underway when AJ Towse went over the whitewash for Harris to convert (0-18).

Barrow refused to cave in and when Johnston sent in a high kick, Brown gathered , only for the former to snatch the ball from his grasp to score. Shaw added the goal (6-18).

This lifted the home side and following a scrum on the Barrow 20-metre line, Johnston’ s long ball found in-form winger Bulman, who left defenders in his wake to race in from 75 metres. Shaw added the goal, and it was game on at (12-18).

York were on the back foot and race to the line saw the ball run dead as Bulman tried to ground it.

Ukuma Ta’AI touched down for York, and Harris converted (12-24).

Barrow rallied once more, and hit back with a try from Tom Wilkinson, Shaw making it 18-24 with the kick.

Harris made the margin seven points with a drop goal minutes after Toal was brought down a foot short.

Brendan Santi sealed the win with a late try converted by Harris.

Barrow: Cresswell, Shaw, Toal, Broadbent, Bulman, Jackson, Johnston, Billington,Wood, Worthington, Stack, Emslie, Wilkinson. Subs used: Corkill, Carter, Saunders, Sammut.

Mail Men of the match Tom Wilkinson/Andrew Bulman.

Attendance: 2,292.

Fellow Cumbrians Whitehaven escaped the drop into League One with Keighley going down after losing 24-16 at London Broncos.