Raiders Nick Final Spot

Injury worry? Paul Cooke lasted 20 minutes in defeat to Barrow

Doncaster RLFC 20 v 22 Barrow Raiders RLFC
Co-Operative Championship 1 play-off semi-final qualifier
Keepmoat Stadium
Attendance – 744

Barrow Raiders secured their place in the Co-Operative Championship 1 grand final in Warrington after overcoming Doncaster in a hard fought encounter.

Doncaster, winners of the League Leaders Shield last weekend, lifted the trophy in hollow circumstances as they were edged out by the second placed Raiders.

The visitors had centre Aaron Low to thank – his brace of tries proving pivotal to proceedings against a Doncaster side that defeated the Raiders by four points in July and remained unbeaten at home until today.

It was perhaps testament to the resolve of the Dons that they nearly nicked a result despite playing for the majority of the game without the key figure of Paul Cooke – the imperious stand-off having picked up a knee injury early on.

Jamie Tandy’s second half try proved to be decisive as he touched down at the base of the post and, though Doncaster responded through Lucas Walshaw and Stewart Sanderson, the visitors clung on to claim the win.

Kyle Kesik had got the hosts off to a perfect start, settling the nerves in the process when he scooted across the whitewash after less than two minutes.

Despite conceding a succession of early penalties, Doncaster stood firm under sustained pressure. However, the Raiders restored parity midway through the first half when Doncaster suffered a double blow, their ill-discipline punished by referee Thomason who sin-binned Kesik for a late shoulder charge before Low inevitably crossed out wide for his first.

Carl Hughes’ delightful shimmy to the line put the Dons in control but the Cumbrians riposte was swift and well deserved – Low again crossing after juggling a high kick.

The Raiders’ last attack of the first half shifted the momentum their way as Chris Larkin rounded Dan Cowling to finish expertly in the corner.

A stay of execution was granted to the Dons as several Raiders attacks were held up prior to Tandy scurrying over, before Walshaw, and then Sanderson plucked high balls out of the air to touch down.

Tony Miller’s side have a reprieve when they face either Workington or Whitehaven in a decisive semi-final eliminator next Sunday and finished the game the stronger of the two sides.

However, questionable decision making in key areas, and two conversion misses proved costly to a team that will be more worried about the injury to Cooke than a potential repeat of this fixture in a fortnight.