Barrow Raiders Suffer Heartbreaking Defeat To Doncaster After Late Penalty
Barrow Raiders suffered a heartbreaking 26 25 defeat to Doncaster after a late penalty decided a closely fought Championship contest at the Speed Competitions Stadium.
The Raiders had led for much of the match and produced a determined performance despite having only a short turnaround following their weekend victory at Halifax. The rearranged fixture proved to be a physical and closely contested encounter, with neither side able to establish a decisive advantage.
Barrow opened the scoring through Ryan Johnston, who converted an early penalty before Josh Wood crossed for the game's first try. Doncaster responded through Jacob Jones, who scored twice during the first half as the visitors briefly took control.
Joe Bullock then restored Barrow's advantage after being put through by Alex Bishop, while Johnston added further points from the kicking tee. A field goal from Johnston shortly before the interval helped the Raiders take a 17 12 lead into half time.
The second half continued in dramatic fashion, with the lead changing hands repeatedly before Barrow moved one point ahead through another Johnston penalty with less than 20 minutes remaining.
Doncaster responded with pressure of their own, but Barrow's defence managed to hold onto the narrow advantage as the clock continued to run down. With just minutes remaining, however, the visitors were awarded a penalty following a late tackle.
Connor Robinson stepped up and made no mistake from the kick, putting Doncaster 26 25 ahead with only a few minutes left on the clock. Barrow were unable to produce a late response, leaving the Raiders to settle for a narrow defeat.
Johnston finished the match with six successful goals and a field goal, while Wood, Bullock and Ryan King all crossed for Barrow. Doncaster's tries came from Jones, who scored twice, along with Muizz Mustapha and Edene Gebbie. Robinson contributed five successful goals for the visitors.
The result will be particularly frustrating for Barrow after they had fought back several times and appeared to have done enough to secure the points. The Raiders had previously beaten Doncaster away from home, making the narrow reverse an opportunity missed in front of their home supporters.
Barrow now have one regular season fixture remaining before the Championship play offs. The Raiders will host fellow Cumbrian side Whitehaven at the Speed Competitions Stadium on Sunday, August 23, with the match scheduled for a 3pm kick off.
The final home fixture will give Barrow an opportunity to respond immediately and build momentum before the play offs begin.
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