“It was back in July 2006 that Blackpool Players last picked up winning pay but they came mighty close at Craven Park for a second winning pay day inside 19 months.

They out fought Barrow for most of the game, the worst Raiders performance for sometime, but don’t let this detract from the 80 minutes of effort from the Seasiders.

Barrow paraded several new faces as coach Dave Clark works on his right formula for when the league season gets under way. But they were all at sea in a dismal display after taking the lead with a try in the first minute.

Maybe this sent out the wrong signal as they failed to get a firm grip until the closing stages when trialist Kiwi Matt Ash edged them ahead with a try and conversion.

Blackpool got into the face of Barrow with a good all round team performance.

Barrow were their own worst enemies, failing to last the six tackles on several occasions.

Half Backs Lee Marsh and Martin Gambles dictated, and it was Marsh who nearly stole the show with two minutes left on the clock.

Barrow were hanging on with a two point lead. He burst through on halfway pulling away from several Barrow players. Skipper Brett McDermott never gave up the chase, forcing Marsh to pass inside to Casey Mayberry but with the line beckoning he failed to take the pass.

The game had barely reached a minute old when Dave Armistead fed Lee Dutton. The big prop burst through and in support was half back Brad Nicholls, who raced over the line for an unconverted try.

Was it going to be a runaway victory for Barrow who had put up a brave show at Leigh the previous week. No it wasn’t to be as Blackpool took a firm grip of the game.

Their first raid saw Mayberry forced into touch, and when Deon Duell tried to force the pass which could have seen Craig Graham in at the corner, the ball went into the arms of Nicholls who covered 75 yards before running out of steam, and falling, ironically, to Duell’s tackle.

On 22 minutes the visitors were to take the lead after Tommy Hodgkinson had twice been held short. The ball was worked out to Marsh, who cut through to touch down and convert his own try.

Nicholls then released Harrison and the Barrow back raced 45 yards before having his ankles tapped. But quick hands from Ostler and Armistead saw Scott Kaighan touchdown for a fine try. Beach tagged on the goal.

However, within four minutes it was Blackpool who went in front after Paul Anderson’s neat chip over the home line saw Graham get the vital touch. Marsh landed a fine touchline conversion. A win looked on the cards when Gambles ticked through to score what looked a perfectly good try only for the distant touchjudge to speak to the referee and the try was disallowed, much to everyone’s amazement on the terraces.

Four minutes into the second half Blackpool stretched their lead with a slip try from Gambles, who took a fine inside ball from Marsh, who converted. A Nicholls try, goaled by Beach, reduced the deficit to two points on 57 minutes. However, it was Kiwi Ash who was to break Panthers’ hearts on 67 minutes when the gap opened up and he sliced through to score, also adding a difficult conversion. A late Raiders attack saw Nicolls denied his hat-trick, being held short, but a quick play the ball right to left saw Oster force his was over. Ash added the goal.

Man of the match: Lee Marsh (Blackpool)   Attendance: 825