By Ian Golden at Virginia Park
Barrow Raiders did enough to win the game at South Wales Scorpions, putting in a solid performance on a tough dry pitch at Caerphilly with a good effort from the home side too.
Scorpionsâ winger Dai Evans was given an early chance to score for the first try after Chris Davies made the metres, but he was pulled into touch by an enthusiastic Barrow pack. Davies was however injured in the build-up and Barrie Phillips was given an early entrance into the fray.
Barrow scored from their first real attack, on seven minutes, after Chris Hankinson spotted a gap on the right hand side and he fed Brad Marwood to run through. Hankinson converted and the visitors were 6-0 up.
The home side looked for a way back. Christiaan Roets and Evans were both stopped short and they were given another opportunity when a Raiders penalty failed to reach touch but poor handling meant another chance to level the score was lost.
Raiders scored their second on 14 minutes when an excellent passing move, created by Jamie Dallimore with a strong run through the heart of midfield, ended up with Max Wiper running over. Hankinson converted well.
Pressing for a third, the Scorpions defence remained solid. Dallimoreâs grubber over the try-line was picked up by Evans but strong follow up from the Raiders earned them a goal-line drop-put.
From the resulting set, good work from Fieldhouse set up Shane Toal to score in the corner. Hankinson converted beautifully from his âwrong sideâ to make the score 18-0.
The fourth came in just before the break, in a carbon copy of the third as Fieldhouse again fed Shane Toal on the left wing. Hankinson curled the kick through nicely to give the Raiders a healthy 24-0 lead at the break.
Scorpions broke their duck six minutes into the second half. From a penalty, a good set of passes ended with Scott Gregory storming over the right wing. Emanuelliâs conversion attempt was short.
Raiders looked for a try back but Liam Harrison was held up over the line on the final tackle of their first set from kick-off after again good work from Dallimore.
The Welsh again failed to take a chance to put themselves back in the game. Fieldhouse ruined his unblemished match record by dropping a high ball and Scorpions had a scrum ten metres out. But from the first play, it was another South Wales knock-on.
Raiders worked their way upfield and made South Wales pay as Matty While found a gap to get their first of the half 17 minutes in. Hankinson missed for the first time to make the score 28-4.
They added their sixth of the game eight minutes later after substitute Dan Abram sold a nice dummy before diving over. Hankinson again converted well.
There wasnât long before there was a seventh. Former Scorpion Joe Bullock was close before Hankinson finished the move in the corner, missing the kick.
Raiders missed an opportunity for an eighth as Cameron Pitman was rightfully brought back after receiving a forward pass.
Izaak Duffyâs late sin-bin gave Raiders space to find an eighth. Hankinson made them pay for the error by scoring and converting himself.
SCORPIONS
30 James Stringer
4 Yannic Parker
22 Christiaan Roets
21 Scott Gregory
5 Dai Evans
29 Cian Timmins
7 Paul Emanuelli
8 Chris Davies
24 Zak Williams
10 Izaak Duffy
3 Kyle Scrivens
17 Mike Connor
13 Chris Vitalini
Subs:
14 Osian Phillips
19 Kristian Baller
28 Martyn Reilly
23 Barrie Phillips
Tries: Gregory (46)
Goals: Emanuelli 0/1
BARROW
- Ryan Fieldhouse
- Shane Toal
- Chris Hankinson
- Max Wiper
- Cameron Pitman
- Jamie Dallimore
- Brad Marwood
- Joe Bullock
- Karl Ashall
- James Duerden
- Liam Harrison
- Dan Toal
- Martin Aspinwall
Subs:
- Dan Abram
- Anthony Bate
- Matty While
- Andrew Dawson
TRIES    Marwood (7), Wiper (14), S. Toal (26, 38), While (57), Abram (66), Hankinson (71, 78)
GOALSÂ Hankinson 6/8
Referee: Jamie Callaghan
Half-time: 0-24
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