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Assistant coach Simon Finnigan (left) looks on as Toronto Wolfpack players run through a drill at Lamport Stadium in Toronto, Wednesday, Sept.6, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Neil DavidsonThe Canadian Press

The first-year Toronto Wolfpack moved up the English rugby league ladder Saturday, defeating a tough Barrow Raiders side 26-2 to secure promotion to the second-tier Championship with one game remaining in the season.

Eighteen unanswered second-half points secured the victory that assures Toronto (19-1-1) of the Kingstone Press League 1 title and the automatic promotion berth that comes with it.

Barrow (17-3-1) made the Wolfpack work for everything for the first 50 minutes before a season-high attendance of 7,972 at a sunny Lamport Stadium. But Toronto pulled ahead with converted tries in the 53rd, 55th and 59th minutes as holes opened in the tiring visitors' defence.

A showdown between No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the third-tier league, it was a hard-hitting contest with more than one player left wobbly by a huge hit, some of which were illegal. Toronto can thank its defence for resisting numerous early Barrow attacks after an error-strewn start.

Blake Wallace scored two tries for Toronto while Quentin Laulu-Togaga'e and Richard Whiting added singles. Captain Craig Hall had four conversions and a penalty.

Lewis Charnock kicked a penalty for Barrow, which was beaten 70-2 on its May visit to Canada.

Helped by Toronto penalties and handing errors, Barrow had more of the ball early but was unable to turn it into points. The Wolfpack went ahead in the 14th minute after a fine break by Hall set up the opening try by Laulu-Togaga'e and led 8-0 at halftime after a Hall penalty.

Barrow laid siege to the Toronto goal-line to open the second half but didn't get on the board until Charnock's 49th-minute penalty cut the lead to 8-2.

The Wolfpack then took over. A swerving run by Wallace in the 53rd minute increased the Toronto lead and Whiting barrelled over two minutes later. Wallace crossed again in the 59th.

Promotion comes 21 league games and 500 days after the franchise was announced to a mostly incredulous local audience in April, 2016. And with one game remaining, against visiting Doncaster next Saturday.

The Wolfpack, a fully professional side albeit one with a small squad, had its way with semi-pro opposition in the third tier. Playing in the Championship means tougher, full-time foes.

Toronto came into the game with a two-point lead over Barrow, needing just a win or tie to achieve its promotion goal. Barrow still has a shot at going up given the second- through fifth-place teams will face off to see who joins Toronto in the Championship.

Barrow was soundly thumped in its first visit to Toronto but had to field a depleted side in May with four players unable to make the trip due to visa issues. The Raiders were still missing several starters this time but arrived in form — a perfect 5-0-0 in the Super 8s playoffs.

The Wolfpack, who went 15-0-0 in the regular season, are now 4-1-1 in the Super 8s.

Toronto improved to 10-0-0 at Lamport Stadium, having outscored its opposition 544-102.

It was a busy sports day in Toronto with Toronto FC and the Blue Jays also in action.

Saturday's game featured all three nominees for the league's player of the year in Barrow's Joe Bullock and Toronto's Hall and Bob Beswick. Barrow's Paul Crarey, an independent roofing contractor when not coaching, is also up for coach of the year.

Barrow supporters raised more than 2,650 pounds ($4,250) to help defray some of the club's incidental expenses from the second transatlantic trip, from coach costs and special visas to food and extra baggage.

Under its agreement with the Rugby Football League, the Wolfpack have agreed to pay transportation and housing for teams coming to North America until they crack the elite Super League.

Canada’s first pro-rugby league team, the Toronto Wolfpack, won their home debut 62-12 over Oxford RLFC on Saturday. Coach Paul Rowley said the players 'really appreciate' the boisterous local fans who came out on a cold day.

The Canadian Press

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