Giants almost pay for Watson gamble
HUDDERSFIELD were given an almighty Challenge Cup scare by Championship part-timers Barrow before eventually securing a 30-16 victory and home quarter-final with Hull.
Giants coach Ian Watson took a gamble by resting a host of regulars, with seven changes to the side that lost to Hull in Super League and it almost backfired as the Raiders pushed them all the way in a gripping sixthround tie at Craven Park.
The top-flight side needed a last-minute try from centre Innes Senior to finally see off their gritty opponents and claim a victory.
It was Barrow’s first home defeat since 2018 but they will claim a moral victory after setting the 3,135 crowd alight with two spectacular tries from exciting Thailand winger Tee Ritson and one from second rower Jarrad Stack.
Barrow, unbeaten in the first five rounds of the Championship, defended with gusto and caused all sorts of problems on attack through the creative skills of experienced half-back Jarrod Sammut and French international Hakim Miloudi.
Paul Crarey’s part-timers were full of energy from the kick-off and it took their Super League visitors 16 minutes to breach their defence, skipper Luke Yates plunging over the line after prop Oliver Wilson had been held short.
When Yates worked centre
Ricky Leutele over for another try just four minutes later, the tie appeared to be going to form but Ritson breathed new life into the tie on 32 minutes when he picked off a pass by Giants full-back Ashton Golding 10 metres from his own line and sprinted away for his first try.
Sammut added the conversion to halve the deficit but Barrow’s defence crumbled just before the break when substitute forward Sebastine Ikahihifo swatted off a host of defenders on a rampaging run to the line.
Oliver Russell’s third goal made it 18-6 but the Raiders remained firmly in the hunt with second-half tries from Ritson, who produced an acrobatic finish at the corner and Stack, who was put through a gap by
Sammut. In between the Barrow scores, second rower Jack Ashworth forced his way over for the visitors’ fourth try but they were rocking and needed a 67th-minute penalty from Russell to stay two scores in front.
Barrow dominated the last 15 minutes when they were virtually camped inside the Huddersfield half but without being able to find the killer touch.
Sammut was hauled down inches short and loose forward Anton Iaria was turned on his back after reaching the line.
It was then against the run of play when Senior pounced on a handling error by Barrow prop Carl Forster to score his side’s fifth try a minute from the end, with Russell kicking his fifth goal from six attempts.