Barrow 18-43 Halifax: 11-man Panthers win in Cumbria

Halifax may have had two men sent off against Barrow, but it was the Panthers who won impressively 43-18 in Monday night Rugby League.

Fax started brilliantly as they led 12-0 after 20 minutes thanks to tries from Ben Tibbs and Scotland international Ben Kavanagh.

Barrow fought their way back into the game in the 26th minute when ex-Salford hooker Josh Wood went over. Jarrod Sammut, returning from international duty with Malta, added the extras.

But Simon Grix’s Halifax extended their lead when Ireland international Joe Keyes threw a double pump to assist Jamaica’s James Woodburn-Hall. Keyes converted to give his side an 18-6 lead.

But the Raiders fought back once more and pulled a try back just before the break through skipper Jarrad Stack.

HT: Barrow Raiders 12-18 Halifax Panthers

Halifax hooker Brandon Moore got his seventh try of the season just after the second half restart to give his side a 12-point cushion.

But the Panthers were dealt a double blow in the 51st minute when they had two men sent off. Barrow’s Hakim Miloudi was sin-binned for a high tackle on Greg Worthington, who was red carded for retaliating with a punch. Titus Gwaze was also sent off for lifting the injured Miloudi when down on the ground.

It was Halifax who were awarded the penalty though, in which Keyes added the penalty goal.

But the red cards seem to add fuel to the bellies of the Panthers. They stretched their lead thanks to France World Cup hopeful Louis Jouffret and Scotland international Lachlan Walmsley. Grix’s men led 36-12 after an hour.

Maltese favourite Sammut pulled one back for the Raiders in the 66th minute but it was too little, too late at that point.

Matty Gee put the icing on the cake for Halifax nine minutes from time before talisman Keyes added a drop goal to wrap up an impressive 43-18 win for the travelling Panthers.

Barrow: Cresswell; Ritson, Miloudi, Costello, S Toal; Carter, Sammut; Forster, Wood, Gillam, Hopkins, Stack, Iaria. Subs: Mossop, D Toal, Brooks, Cozza.

Tries: Wood, Stack, Sammut Goals: Sammut 3

Halifax: Woodburn-Hall; Walmsley, Worthington, Tibbs, Saltonstall; Jouffret, Keyes; Calcott, Moore, Murray, Kavanagh, Gee, Tangata. Subs: Wood, Fairbank, Gwaze, Larroyer.

Tries: Kavanagh, Tibbs, Woodburn-Hall, Moore, Jouffret, Walmsley, Gee Goals: Keyes 7 Drop Goals: Keyes 1

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