BARROW RAIDERS 14 TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE 34
PETER WILSON, Northern Competitions Stadium, Saturday
TOO quick and too smart – that was the Toulouse recipe for the convincing win in Cumbria that keeps them alongside York at the top of the Championship table.
The 20-point margin is only slightly flattering. Two converted tries in the last nine minutes came when play-off aspirants Barrow were almost out on their feet but there was rarely any doubt about the eventual outcome.
A feisty opening spell – five penalties and a sin-binning in the opening few minutes – eventually calmed to provide an entertaining game for the 2,000-plus crowd.
The Raiders could hardly have got off to a worse start, with Curtis Teare in the sin bin after just four minutes for a late tackle on Olly Ashall-Bott, and the visitors went in front after eleven minutes.
Both sides blew early chances before the pressure on the home line produced an opening for Mathieu Jussaume. Jake Shorrocks added the first of five successful conversions from six attempts.
But within seven minutes the home side were level thanks to an Ellis Robson try and Brad Walker’s goal.
Barrow had their work cut out stemming the flow of Toulouse
attacks but the French side needed the old faithful – a high hanging kick to the corner from Shorrocks for Jussaume to bag his second.
Five minutes before the break it was swift handling that paid off, the dangerous Benjamin Laguerre scoring in the corner for Toulouse’s only unconverted try and a 6-16 half-time lead.
Barrow began the second half on the front foot and the home crowd were given something to cheer when Teare burst through the Toulouse defence from deep inside his own half and created the opening for Luke Broadbent to go in for his side’s second try.
Brad Walker’s conversion, plus a 55th-minute penalty-goal, reduced the gap to just two points and there was every sign of a Raiders revival.
Sadly for them, Toulouse quickly found the gear that had controlled much of the first half. Paul Ulberg went over in the corner and order was restored.
Barrow did stage a further attempt at a fightback but the closest they came was when skipper Jarrad Stack lost possession as he dived for the line in the 67th minute.
Any home hopes of rescuing something from the game died nine minutes from time when the dangerous Bretherton finished off another attack with Toulouse’s fifth try and, alongside Shorrocks’ goal, the margin was back to 14 points.
The final nail in the Barrow coffin came almost on the hooter with a try from Thomas Lacans.
GAMESTAR: Olly Ashall-Bott was a constant menace to the home defence with his twisting runs from the back.
GAMEBREAKER: Joe Bretherton’s try knocked the stuffing out of the Raiders.
MATCHFACTS
RAIDERS
1 Luke Cresswell
30 Tee Ritson
18 Curtis Teare
5 Shane Toal
4 Luke Broadbent
3 Matty Costello
6 Brad Walker
8 Tom Walker
9 Josh Wood
23 Joe Bullock
11 Ellis Robson
24 Jarrad Stack
21 Finn McMillan
Subs (all used)
25 Aiden Doolan
13 Ryan King
32 Ryan Brown
16 Charlie Emslie
Tries: Robson (18), Broadbent (47)
Goals: B Walker 3/3
Sin bin: Teare (4) – late tackle
OLYMPIQUE
1 Olly Ashall-Bott
19 Benjamin Laguerre
5 Paul Marcon
3 Reuben Rennie
2 Paul Ulburg
25 Thomas Lacans
7 Jake Shorrocks
8 Lambert Belmas
13 Antony Marion
16 Joe Bretherton
11 Maxime Stefani
4 Mathieu Jussaume
15 Joe Cator
Subs (all used)
14 Baptiste Rodriguez
13 James Roumanos
21 Ellis Gillam
28 AJ Wallace
Tries: Jussaume (11, 26), Laguerre (34), Ulburg (57), Bretherton (71), Lacans (79)
Goals: Shorrocks 5/6
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 6-12, 6-16; 12-16, 14-16, 14-22, 14-28, 14-34
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Raiders: Luke Cresswell; Olympique: Olly Ashall-Bott
Penalty count: 6-9
Half-time: 6-16
Referee: Matty Lynn
Attendance: 2,049