BARROW RAIDERS 14 LONDON BRONCOS 22
LORRAINE MARSDEN, Northern Competitions Stadium, Sunday
LONDON joined fellow Championship side Cardiff in reaching the quarter-finals.
Cardiff already knew they had qualified when they hosted St Helens on Saturday, thanks to their victory over Warrington Wolves in week one.
But Barrow and the Broncos faced a winner-takes-all clash, with the victors guaranteeing themselves a trip to the Totally Wicked Stadium to face holders St Helens in the quarter-finals.
Having made the long journey to the north-west, the visitors didn’t get off to the best of starts when, with just under 15 minutes in the clock, Nicole Stewart’s grubber kick to the right corner found Chloe Capstick to touch down for the Raiders. Stewart was unable to add the conversion.
Despite their early setback, the Broncos went in at half-time with a narrow lead thanks to a try after 28 minutes. With Barrow waiting for the referee to call for what they believed to be a knock-on, the visitors took full advantage as Jade Walker spotted a gap to score. Kathryn Salter’s goal made it 6-4.
The capital side increased that lead just minutes after the restart when Nicole Kennedy cut through 60 metres out and outpaced the Barrow defence to go in between the posts. Again Salter converted.
When Stewart dummied her way over and then improved her own score soon after, Barrow were back to within two, but the Broncos kept pressing and when strong defensive work bundled Barrow into touch ten metres out, they used the territory with Oli Davies going in.
Barrow came close to levelling matters five minutes later when Vanessa Temple was on the end of a quick play to power over, however Stewart missed from the kicking tee.
The Broncos made sure of the game with three minutes remaining when Lauren Mueller scored, with Salter tagging on the two.
RAIDERS: 1 Vanessa Temple, 19 Amy Sunderland, 2 Shannon Parker, 4 Claire Hutchinson, 5 Chloe Capstick, 6 Kerrie-Ann Smith, 7 Beth Pattinson, 14 Mia Dobson, 15 Leah Cottier, 10 Jodie Morley, 11 Emily Stirzaker, 12 Leah Clough, 14 Nicole Stewart. Subs (all used): 9 Beth Lindsay, 8 Kelly Friend, 3 Maddie Neale, 24 Becca Harley
Tries: Capstick (14), Stewart (50), Temple (67); Goals: Stewart 1/3
BRONCOS: 1 Lauren Mueller, 2 Emily Bell, 3 Nicole Kennedy, 4 Katie Wallis, 5 Erin Richards, 6 Jemma King, 7 Jade Walker, 10 Emily Hughes, 9 Polly Roberts, 14 Iona McCusker, 11 Ellie Taylor, 12 Rosie Cairns, 13 Kathryn Salter. Subs (all used): 15 Oli Davies, 8 Jade Coleman, 16 Gianna Noble-Cunningham, 18 Bryony Cleall
Tries: Walker (28), Kennedy (44), Davies (63), Mueller (77); Goals: Salter 3/4
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 4-6; 4-12, 10-12, 10-16, 14-16, 14-22
Half-time: 4-6
