Barrow Raiders Aim To Bounce Back Against Widnes Vikings
Barrow Raiders will travel to Cheshire to face Widnes Vikings this weekend as they look to respond to last week's defeat and strengthen their position in the Betfred Championship against one of their closest rivals in the league table.
Head coach Paul Crarey will be hoping his side can quickly rediscover the form that produced six consecutive league victories before their impressive run was ended by Newcastle Thunder last weekend. The Raiders currently sit just two points above Widnes, making the fixture an important contest in the race for the Championship play off places.
Widnes enter the match full of confidence after recording a club record 116-6 victory over North Wales Crusaders, highlighting the attacking threat Barrow will face. However, the Raiders will take encouragement from their 18-8 victory over the Vikings earlier this season and will be aiming to complete a league double over Widnes for the first time since 2022.
Crarey has made four changes to his squad for the trip. Ellis Archer, Josh Wood, and Jarrad Stack all return, while Ellis Gillam is in contention for his second debut after rejoining the club on a season long loan from Toulouse Olympique earlier this week.
Also included in the squad is promising hooker Fin Dutton-Rosconie, who recently signed his first professional contract with the Raiders. The 21 year old product of the Furness Raiders Development Academy has impressed since breaking into the first team, scoring his first professional try against Doncaster before featuring in victories over Hunslet and Workington Town.
The Raiders believe the emergence of academy graduates such as Dutton-Rosconie demonstrates the club's commitment to developing local talent. Recent graduates including Trent Ruddy and Stevie Watson have also progressed into the senior squad, providing further encouragement for young players within the club's development pathway.
With both teams chasing valuable Championship points and entering the contest with plenty to prove, supporters can expect another fiercely contested encounter between two well matched sides. For Barrow, a victory would not only end last week's disappointment but also reinforce their credentials as genuine contenders for a strong finish to the season.
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