Following the hype and hysteria of the Castleford game, this felt like a low-key outing - and it took two minutes for Barrow to dampen what atmosphere there was as Clark's ragged pass was gathered by Finch who scored wide out. Barrow talisman Darren Holt added a touchline conversion and Hornets had to start all over again at five past three.

The response was immediate. Dave McConnell's pas finding its way to Lee Doran; Doran keeping the play moving as defenders gathered around him, smuggling the ball out of the back of the tackle for Mark McCully to touch down.

From the kick-off possession, Hornets conjured up a rare bit of magic. Bobbie Goulding lofted a delicate chip over the flat defence, the ball was gathered by Sam Butterworth who posted Dave McConnell under the black dot with a perfectly timed pass. Goulding added the extras, Hornets 10-6 to the good.

But Hornets couldn't shake off Barrow, with Holt directing traffic and dropping pinpoint passes onto willing runners into gaps all over the field. On the quarter hour Hornets' defence dropped off just long enough for Clark to slump in for the softest of tries from acting half. It was going to be one of those days.

Hornets did string together ten minutes of cohesive football: first Goulding's quick tap and quick hands shipped the ball wide for Campbell to score; then McConnnell's scoot found the Barrow defence asleep and his pass sent Butterworth in untouched. 20-10 and, one might imagine, sufficient daylight.

But Barrow's never-say-die attitude, Holt's relentless probing and Hornets' somewhat casual defence saw Osborne bounce off a couple of frankly awful tackles and then Nixon win a 60 metre foot-chase for an inch-perfect Holt down-town. Holt was perfect with the boot and Hornets fans shrugged and shuffled their feet as Barrow went in at the break 20-22 in front.

If Hornets were to salvage anything from this game, it needed a significant lift in pace and intensity. With Goulding's half time words no doubt ringing in their ears, Hornets came out looking more like it.

After an early scare when Zitter took completely the wrong option with the line laid bare and men in support, Hornets stepped it up. With new boy Jamie Durbin in at scrum half, Hornets looked a yard sharper - and Barrow stood off him for just long enough for him to hoist a tricky kick towards the corner. Barrow full back pate made a hash of it and McCully touched down.

You could almost feel the confidence rise in players and fans alike - and with Durbin playing a swift, but simple game Hornets gained momentum. Indeed, it was his pass to McCully on the hour that saw the Hornets centre complete his hat-trick - and he slotted the extras to put Hornets 32-22 in front.

Barrow battled to get back in the game, but with Goulding returning to the fray to join Durbin at half back, Holt's crucial influence visibly waned.

Just past the hour, Barrow's stand-off Colley threw a wild speculator that was never going to reach his centre; Durbin snaffled the interception and outpaced the chasing Barrow defenders to score from 70 metres and seal the game.

Having done enough, Hornets declared. Barrow plugged gamely away for the last 17 minutes, but despite a couple of close shaves - including an interception from a shocking Goulding pass - came up blank.

At the hooter, Hornets had done enough to gain the points - but not much more. Certainly the second half performance was significantly better then the first; and to keep Barrow scoreless after the break is testimony to the increased tenacity on defence.

But take nothing away from Barrow - they're far from the worst side we've seen this season and certainly maintained their dubious record of being Hornets' bogey side. Afterwards, Peter Roe voiced his frustration at the way his side keep letting games slip from their grasp - and Bobbie Goulding was philosophical about his team's performance.

"It was just one of those days at the office," he said, "but I thought our class showed in the end. It was a dour game played in a dour atmosphere, but we got the two points."

Indeed, Hornets did have more creative players in more key positions, while Barrow rely almost entirely on the efforts of Darren Holt; and nilling the opposition for the second 40 shows what Goulding's team can do when they apply themselves.

Ultimately, it was - as Bobbie said - one of those days. A gritty 'grind-it-out' performance against a well-drilled, workmanlike opposition. And if winning by whatever means is what it takes to succeed, we'll take the points and move on.