Last updated at 13:51, Saturday, 15 May 2010

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WELL, it was going to be a long time between home fixtures anyway, but the fact we have to travel to St Helens in the Challenge Cup means that we are not guaranteed a game at Craven Park until July 3 – that’s seven weeks away folks.

Provided we beat Widnes in the quarter-finals of the Northern Rail Cup, a favourable draw would see us playing the semi-final at Barrow on June 19.

The big gap before the club has a home fixture will adversely affect the cash flow and test finances.

I have said it before, and I will say it again – the fixture list is a farce. The board and accountants will have to be busy with the abacus to steer the club through this testing period.

Because of the cup success, the planned home fixture against Whitehaven has been postponed. That will now have to be played midweek with the numbers of travelling supporters from West Cumbria being reduced as a consequence.

With St Helens moving to a new ground next season, and it being the last ever Challenge Cup tie at Knowsley Road, let us hope the Saints fans turn out in their droves to make sure the Raiders get a decent cut from the gate money which is shared after expenses have been deducted. Better still, let us look forward to a share of the semi-final gate when we have turned over another Super League club!

What a difference it would have made if Barrow had been drawn out of the hat first, with a full Craven Park and the club taking all the profits from refreshments.

Last week’s win against Hunslet was comfortable enough in the end, but a tendency to gift the opposition position and possession through penalties again reared its ugly head and let the Hawks back into the game.

That took some of the gloss off a performance which at times was quite outstanding, with movement and passing leading to tries which any team, including Saints, would have struggled to defend against.

The goal-line defence of the Raiders has been staggering at times this season, but the Championship One outfit managed to wriggle and twist their way over the line from short range on a couple of occasions.

Steve McCormack will be analysing the match video to see what can be learnt and how things can be improved.

I was interested to read that the “Peter Pan” of rugby league, Darren Holt, had signed for Workington. I wish him well and I am certain he will do a super job for Town, being the great professional that he is.

Personally, my preference would have been to see him sign on for Barrow, playing as the main spring of the reserves and bringing younger players on while still being available for the first team as and when required.

He has the ability to perform at Championship level, but whether he has the fitness or desire to do so week-in, week-out after all the years he has played the game is another matter.

Finances, his desire for first team rugby, etc may have made that impossible, but that is what I, in an ideal world, would have liked to have seen.

Tomorrow, it is off to the Shay to play Halifax. As you are no doubt aware, they have been thrown out of the Challenge Cup for fielding an ineligible player in an earlier round. That player was Michael Ostick, whom you may remember was on loan at Barrow from Widnes during our promotion season.

What amazes me are the reports in the press which indicate that this was brought to light by comments posted on an internet forum and that the RFL had not picked up on it until then – and they go on about the need for clubs to be professional!

As a consequence, coach Matt Callard was suspended by the club, only to be reinstated when martin Hall, the director of rugby, accepted responsibility and fell on his sword.

The whole situation is going to have an effect one way or the other. It may disrupt their preparation for the visit of the Raiders, or it may prove to bring them closer together and fire them up even more than usual.

The main concern for the Raiders at present is injuries costing them cover in certain positions.

The loss of Anthony Blackwood is a big one. Other than Liam Harrison, the club has to manage with players who can play in that position but are not out-and-out centres, as Blackwood is.

I know Des well enough to know he will be driving Super League coaches and chairmen crackers as he relentlessly attempts to beg, steal or borrow players which the side need.

And finally, a rather thoughtful Des Johnston approached me after the Hunslet match and asked if I thought he was vain.

“Not really,” I replied, “Why do you ask?”

“Well,” he said, “it’s just that blokes as good looking as me usually are.”

DAVE SEAR

First published at 10:46, Saturday, 15 May 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk