North Wales Crusaders ready for battle against the Raiders

Embed from Getty Images

North Wales Crusaders welcome Betfred League One leaders Barrow Raiders to Colwyn Bay, as they look to extend their winning run to five games.

The Welsh team have been on fire since being beaten 38-28 by the Rochdale Hornets at the end of June, and they put in another brilliant performance last weekend to beat the Coventry Bears 32-16 and move up to fourth in the table.

Head Coach Anthony Murray had his side leading 22-4 at the break with tries from experienced players in Rob Massam, Karl Ashall and a brace from half-back Jordy Gibson, but a quiet second-half performance from the Crusaders meant they only added another 10 points to their first-half tally, with Tommy Johnson scoring and then converting his own try alongside a score from Gav Rodden.

If they want to get anywhere near the team sat at the top of the table, Murray knows that his side will have to produce a full 80-minute display, as they look to be the only other side apart from Keighley Cougars to hand Barrow a loss in the league this season.

The Raiders have been suffering from an injury crisis in the last couple of weeks, but they didn’t show it as they ran out 40-1o winners over Hunslet last Sunday.

Returning winger Tee Ritson linked up on the right side of the Barrow attack alongside former Super League star Hakim Miloudi and got himself four tries as his team dominated from start to finish.

Paul Crarey also handed out a debut to former Leigh Centurions forward Jake Emmitt, who has joined the club on a deal until the end of the season to help Barrow cope with all the injuries they have.

Jamie Dallimore was one key player who missed out in that win over Hunslet as he was still going through his return to play checks, and Crarey will be hoping he can have his playmaker back for the trip down to Wales this weekend.

Head-to-Head

Barrow have won four of the last five meetings between the two teams, with the most recent of them victories coming in May.

They ran out comfortable 44-8 winners with centre Mark Tyson scoring two tries that day, alongside Jake Carter who scored 16 points.

The last time North Wales Crusaders beat Barrow was all the way back in 2015, where current Raiders man Dallimore starred, to help his side to a 23-6 away win.

Dallimore then switched Wales for Cumbria and has been a hit with the Barrow fans from the start, while current North Wales player Karl Ashall did the opposite and left Barrow for the Welsh club, and both players will be looking to help their side to another win in the league come Sunday afternoon.

Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt