BATLEY BULLDOGS 14 TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE 30
KEITH McGHIE, Fox’s Biscuits Stadium, Saturday
BENJAMIN LAGUERRE claimed a hat-trick as Toulouse consolidated their place at the top of the table with a sixth straight win over a threadbare but enthusiastic Batley, who now find themselves firmly embroiled in the relegation scrap.
Olympique, able to name the same 17 which had beaten Barrow the previous weekend, also scored tries through Anthony Marion, Olly Ashall-Bott and Romeo Tropis.
The Bulldogs were without Brandon Moore, who was reported missing by his wife but later found safe.
They haven’t won since scraping home at London on April 12.
Dewsbury Celtic amateur Paul Foulstone, who made his debut at fullback in the heavy defeat at Featherstone seven days previously, moved into the centres with Elliot Kear dropping to fullback as Nyle Flynn made his 150th career appearance.
The Bulldogs made a lively start and, with the benefit of the Mount Pleasant slope, dominated early possession and field position.
Joe Burton opened the scoring from Josh Woods’ long cut-out pass which gave the winger just enough space to run into the corner.
Woods failed with the subsequent touchline kick but it was an encouraging start for a Bulldogs outfit showing no signs of any lack of confidence due to recent results.
Olympique’s first attacking set ended with Jake Shorrocks hoisting a kick to the corner which Laguerre collected and dived over.
On a warm and still afternoon, Shorrocks proved no more successful with his conversion attempt than Woods, leaving the game tied but, as momentum swung, Lambert Belmas was held up by Luke Cooper before Anthony Marion charged through from close range to edge the table-toppers ahead.
Any first-half disadvantage Toulouse might have faced through gravity was added to by a lack of the fluidity with which the French side have become associated.
Several handling errors cost the visitors possession and one stray pass enabled Burton to intercept and dash from his own ten metre line to score his second try, with Woods’ conversion levelling matters before half-time.
But Ashall-Bott put Laguerre clear for his second score to give Toulouse the lead once more six minutes into the second half.
The Bulldogs were far from done and, capitalizing on more handling errors, savoured several minutes camped deep in Toulouse territory.
But having soaked up the pressure, Olympique eased further clear as Ashall-Bott danced his way through a broken defence and Shorrocks’ second successful kick made it 20-10.
And an inability to deal with a high bomb led to Tropis pouncing for try number five.
Neither the heat or the now-adverse scoreline stopped the brave Bulldogs running and tackling to the end and a late Woods cross-field kick caused enough confusion for Alfie Dean to interject and collect some consolation.
Reubenn Rennie sent Laguerre in for his hat-trick in the dying seconds as Shorrocks finished with three conversions, while Woods landed just one.
GAMESTAR: Romeo Tropis’ general workload was highlighted by a try-saving tackle at one end followed by a well-deserved try at the other.
GAMEBREAKER: Tropis’ converted try on 66 minutes opened too big a gap for brave Batley to breach.
MATCHFACTS
BULLDOGS
5 Elliot Kear
26 Alfie Dean
33 Paul Foulstone
3 Ollie Greensmith
2 Joe Burton
6 Ben White
7 Josh Woods
31 Noah High
9 Alistair Leak
10 Luke Cooper
15 Nyle Flynn
11 Dane Manning
13 James Brown
Subs (all used)
23 Jonah Parsons
8 Adam Gledhill
16 Michael Ward
22 Luca Atkinson
Tries: Burton (4, 35), Dean (75)
Goals: Woods 1/3
OLYMPIQUE
1 Olly Ashalt-Bott
19 Benjamin Laguerre
5 Paul Marcon
26 Romeo Tropis
2 Paul Ulberg
25 Thomas Lacans
7 Jake Shorrocks
8 Lambert Belmas
13 Anthony Marion
17 Rob Butler
16 Joe Bretherton
3 Reubenn Rennie
15 Joe Cator
Subs (all used)
14 Baptiste Rodriguez
10 James Roumanos
21 Ellis Gilliam
18 Paulo Dall’asta
Tries: Laguerre (10, 46, 80), Marion (21), Ashall-Bott (58), Tropis (66)
Goals: Shorrocks 3/6
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 4-4, 4-10, 10-10; 10-14, 10-20, 10-26, 14-26, 14-30
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Bulldogs: Paul Foulstone; Olympique: Romeo Tropis
Penalty count: 5-3
Half-time: 10-10
Referee: Denton Arnold
