Barrow Raiders came from behind to beat Rochdale Hornets 24-14 in a Championship fixture that swung several times before being settled in the closing stages.
Early exchanges set a frenetic tone
The visitors showed resilience in the first half, leading 10-4 at the interval after responding promptly to Barrow's opening score. The hosts opened the scoring when a looping pass found Ryan King, who powered over to continue a prolific run of form.
Rochdale responded through slick attacking play. Alex Chippendale crossed for his first professional try and later Max Flanagan finished a strong move to give the Hornets the half-time advantage.
Second half momentum shifts in Barrow's favour
The Raiders produced an improved second-half performance. Early in the half, a high kick caused confusion in the Rochdale defence and Luke Broadbent chased the bouncing ball to score, with the conversion pushing Barrow into a narrow lead.
Rochdale briefly regained the upper hand when hooker George Roby powered over, but the contest was decided in the final quarter by Barrow prop Tom Walker. Walker first crashed over from close range to put the hosts ahead and then finished a sweeping right-hand move unopposed to seal the victory.
- Final score: Barrow Raiders 24, Rochdale Hornets 14
- Key performers: Tom Walker (Barrow), Ryan King (Barrow), Alex Chippendale (Rochdale)
- League impact: Barrow moved up the Championship table following the win
Match timeline
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| ~18' | Ryan King (Barrow) try |
| 28' | Alex Chippendale (Rochdale) try |
| 38' | Max Flanagan (Rochdale) try |
| ~42' | Luke Broadbent (Barrow) try |
| 58' | George Roby (Rochdale) try |
| ~65' | Tom Walker (Barrow) try |
| Final minutes | Tom Walker (Barrow) second try |
The result provided a timely response from Barrow after a difficult July and lifted Paul Crarey's side up the table. Rochdale, who matched their opponents for long periods, will take lessons from a performance that showed attacking promise but ultimately lacked the finishing push required late on.
Barrow travel to face Halifax Panthers in their next league fixture; Rochdale will regroup as they look to convert opportunities into points in forthcoming matches.
