Whitehaven coach Carl Forster is expecting a big response from Barrow in Sunday’s rematch at the Recreation Ground.

He reckons the Raiders will be smarting from their 32-6 defeat last week which clinched second place for Haven in the regular season table.

Forster said: “They will be dangerous opponents, obviously desperate to make amends for that defeat.

“We will have to realise that, take ourselves down a peg or two and not expect to go out there and expect the same thing to happen.

“Naturally, we are pleased to have won the last one but as far as the season is concerned, we have won nothing yet.

“Just like the previous game, we will be treating it like a cup final – and I am sure Barrow will as well.”

Meanwhile, in the Barrow camp, coach Paul Crarey is looking for his team to make amends for last week’s 32-6 defeat.

“That defeat doesn’t define our season. All it meant was they finished second and we are third,” he said.

“We’ve to go to Whitehaven on Sunday and have a chance to redeem ourselves.

“Looking at the Super Eights fixtures, it doesn’t really matter whether you finish second or third.

“We know what to expect, and, hopefully, we can learn from our experience and come to do a job at Whitehaven next time – or even compete better than we did.”

As Whitehaven have concerns over the fitness of prop Marc Shackley, Barrow are waiting for an update on back-row forward Dan Toal, who was carried off at the Recreation Ground.

His knee injury was sustained in a collision with a Haven player during the second half.

Crarey said: “I thought it might have been a dead leg at first but it was pretty severe when he came off.

“He had to be carried off and it’s not like Dan because he’s a real tough cookie.

“He was a big plus for us through the middle.”

Barrow will definitely go into the game at the Recreation Ground without loose-forward Matty While.

He was handed a one-match ban after receiving a Grade B charge for running in and punching during the game with Oxford. He received a red card for the offence and must now sit out the Eights opener.