UNBEATEN Toulouse are in for a surprise when they hit town tomorrow – a reception that could be worth an extra man to Barrow Raiders.

That is the view of coach Paul Crarey, as Barrow set out to put a stop to the French club’s charge towards the League One title.

“I’m sure the Craven Park crowd will get behind the team and they will be our 18th man,” said Crarey, not that he is relying too much on help from the terraces in the bid to stretch their winning run to three games.

“If anybody has the team to cause an upset, it is ourselves.

“It is a measure of a team how they recover after a couple of defeats and we have recovered well. When we are on form, we have the ability to take the opposition apart as we did against York and in South Wales on Sunday.”

Crarey, whose side have scored 94 points and conceded just 14 in those previous two wins, makes no secret of his admiration for Toulouse.

He added: “They are obviously favourites for the title, being a full-time team with a playing budget for different from everybody else.

“They have beaten Leigh and they ran Wakefield close in the Challenge Cup. They have two very good half-backs and they play fast, open football.

“They have strikers all over the field and they have a real danger man in Johnathon Ford.

“Having said all that, it does not mean that we cannot give it a real go.

“We must pressure them and bring our enthusiasm and passion and we will see what happens. The fans will come down and support us and they will see a cracking game. They can be our extra man.”

After the long journey to South Wales – 14 hours on a coach – it was only light training for the players early in the week to give the medical staff the chance to examine the Raiders casualties.

Although skipper Oliver Wilkes, who missed the trip to Caerphilly because of illness, will make his return, Crarey has serious concerns over forwards Andrew Dawson and Dan Toal. The Barrow boss expects both will have to miss out tomorrow.

He will also be without ex-Walney forward Danny Morrow, who has been hit with a four-game ban following a tackle in the recent win over York.

A bonus for Crarey in the win over South Wales was the form of young Matty While, the former Leeds Academy player who scored one of the side’s eight tries on his debut.

“He tackled hard and ran hard and he will get his rewards down the track,” said the Craven Park boss.