Barrow Raiders 30 – 22 Toulouse
This National league match was between my home town team of the Barrow Raiders against visiting French side Toulouse, making his debut for Barrow in hot and humid conditions was Jamie Rooney signed from Super League Wakefield Wildcats till the end of the season.
In the early part of the game it was nearly all Barrow who got their reward on 14 minutes with a good try from Nixon, Rooney kicked the conversion to make it 6 – 0 to Barrow. On 17 minutes in what was so far a rare foray at the Barrow end Toulouse got their first try through Wynn, the conversion made it 6 – 6 against the run of play. Barrow were still having most of the possession but were giving away a few penalties one of which on the 24th minute led to a second try to Toulouse through Bromley, after this the possession became more even.
On 33 minutes Barrow got a decent try from Young showing good strength, Rooney’s conversion made it 12 – 12, then right on half time an Ellis effort wasn’t allowed, I have to say that on the TV screen he did appear to lose it, half time score 12 – 12.
Just before the second half kick off I spotted POA pint in hand enjoying the festivities 
Early in the first half (42 minutes) saw Nixon running in a nice long distance try making it 16 – 12 to Barrow, then on 45 minutes Jamie Rooney gave us a little cameo on what sort of thing Raiders fans can come to expect from him with a great 40/20 kick.
The second half had become a fairly even, error strewn arm wrestle with Barrow probably just getting the better of it. On 63 minutes Ellis’s good effort ended in a try although it looked like it may have come from an illegal play the ball, still it counted and Rooney’s conversion made it 22 – 12 to the Raiders. Then shortly after, on 67 minutes was a good try from Harrison with a nice jinking little run and Rooney’s conversion made it 28 – 12.
Barrow looked a little like they had put the cue back on the rack (as they say) and Toulouse kept fighting and were rewarded on 70 minutes with an overlap and a Couturier try, it was now 28 – 16. Adding a couple of more points to the Raiders tally, Rooney kicked a penalty on 75 minutes making it 30 – 16.
To round the game off an unbowed Toulouse side got the last try of the game on 77 minutes through Couturier again and his conversion made the final score Barrow Raiders 30 – 22 Toulouse.
In the end the Raiders got the better of a scrappy, error ridden game were neither team was at their best, Barrow players I would personally give a mention to are, Broadbent, Butler, Finch, Nixon and Ellis, Young with some good strong runs and of course Jamie Rooney, his kicking was good throughout and he was very influential for Barrow in the second half, for someone who has had one training session with his new team he did all that could have been expected of him, he is already looking like a crowd favourite with clearly audible chants of “Rooney, Rooney, Rooney”.
