The Northern Rail Cup

I usually wait until Friday before putting up my lower league suggestions but Skybet have priced the Northern Rail cup quarter finals early and I feel I have to get involved despite possibility of getting a better handicap when the other layers reveal their hand. If you see a price you like my general rule is to take it, you can always top up later.

Barrow v Dewsbury

 

6th June 18:30 BST

Top of the Championship meets the unbeaten top of Championship One. Barrow are my team and to me, with their recruitment policy, were always dark horses for the title. It seemed in the early weeks that the layers hadn't cottoned on to the strength of their signings and they have only been defeated on the handicap three times this season, which is some record over fifteen games. Perhaps recently the layers have finally decided to wake up with two of those defeats in the last three games at Toulouse and at home to Sheffield.

Co-operative Championship table

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	BP	PTS
1	Barrow	10	8	0	2	302	140	2	26
2	Halifax	9	8	0	1	363	166	0	24
3	Widnes	12	6	0	6	330	256	5	23
4	Featherstone	10	7	0	3	313	225	0	21
5	Whitehaven	11	6	0	5	328	310	2	20
6	Leigh	10	5	0	5	192	245	3	18
7	Sheffield	10	3	0	7	266	233	7	16
8	Toulouse	9	5	0	4	264	262	1	16
9	Batley	10	3	1	6	206	382	1	12
10	Gateshead	9	2	1	6	232	355	1	9
11	Doncaster	10	1	0	9	173	395	3	6

Having, watched the game on Saturday, however, I can assure you that Sheffield are a very good team and their recent big wins versus Toulouse and Halifax were no fluke. The Barrow victory was still very impressive.
Barrow have a very strong side, admittedly they been lucky with injuries with only half-back Campbell missing this week, and their lofty position is merited. They have a side more than capable of taking all the honours this season. They have signed Andreas Bauer from troubled Doncaster this week and the Samoan International will further strengthen the squad.

Dewsbury, themselves, have done nothing wrong. They have beaten comfortably all before them in the lower leagues including a fine victory at nearest rivals Oldham and a defeat of Featherstone in the group stages of this cup.

Co-operative Championship 1 table

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	BP	PTS
1	Dewsbury	9	9	0	0	374	125	0	27
2	Oldham	9	7	0	2	362	208	1	22
3	Keighley	9	6	0	3	277	189	3	21
4	Hunslet	9	6	0	3	286	180	2	20
5	York	9	5	0	4	268	169	3	18
6	Swinton	9	5	0	4	283	269	0	15
7	Blackpool	9	3	0	6	220	236	3	12
8	Workington	9	1	0	8	135	368	2	5
9	London Skolars	9	1	0	8	92	511	0	3
10	Rochdale	9	2	0	7	223	265	5	2

It's perhaps difficult to judge where Dewsbury would be if they were plying their trade in the higher division. Mid-table is my suspicion probably ranked alongside the likes of Leigh.

As such, I've just got to make Barrow bigger favourites. They have a bruising pack, top notch defence and pace in abundance in the likes of Finch, Nixon and Harrison. This could well be a very comfortable home victory and I can't really make a case for a shock win. My kind of handicap was in the 16-18pt range and the 12pts on offer is well worth taking. Alternatively, I feel the match on offer of 1.22 offers even greater value. My conversion chart says 1.22 match odds relates to a 10pt handicap. Take your choice but I'm happy enough taking my chances at the higher odds.

Pick: Barrow -12 3pts @ 1.91 with Skybet
 
The Man