AMONG those in attendance at Craven Park yesterday was Catalans Dragons chief executive Christophe Jouffret.

The French side’s CEO was there mainly to watch his son, Louis, in action for Batley Bulldogs - although he will perhaps have been pleased to see Catalans loanee Georgy Gambaro go over for his first try in a Barrow Raiders shirt too.

Unfortunately though, there was little else for the home side to cheer as they went down 36-16 to the Bulldogs in an uncharacteristic error-strewn performance, with stand-off Jouffret junior a key man for the visitors.

According to head coach Paul Crarey’s post-match statistics, the Raiders came up with 16 individual errors and managed just a 50 per cent completion rate for the whole 80 minutes.

Conversely, Batley - while not spectacular - were clinical and effective, with Jouffret pulling the strings in the halves and winger Jonathon Campbell using his pace and power to rack up a hat-trick of tries.

Given the outcome, it is amazing to think how different it all seemed when Gambaro put the home side ahead with an unconverted try after just four minutes, taking a cut-out pass from Ryan Fieldhouse following an excellent opening set.

But Barrow somehow lost their way after this, failing to look after the ball and finding themselves regularly penalised by Super League referee James Child.

One positive for the home side was that Lewis Charnock managed to make it through the full 80 minutes on his return to action after being out since February with a shoulder injury.

The former St Helens man capped his comeback with a try too, but his return was offset by Bradd Crellin being forced off with a head injury towards the end of the first half.

The manner of some of the tries Barrow conceded was frustrating too, with Campbell’s first two being near-identical moves from scrums in the home side’s 20 metres, putting Batley four points up after 15 minutes.

So too was Dom Brambani’s 24th-minute score as a kick from the half-back was left to bounce in goal, allowing him to dot down.

Brad Day’s first three minutes before half time put Batley 20-4 up at the break and although Charnock’s score and the conversion from Jamie Dallimore narrowed the gap to 10, there was no way back.

David Scott, who kicked three conversions as well, pushed Batley further ahead on 55 minutes, with Campbell and Day adding to their tallies before Matty Holmes finished off a patient attack from Barrow with five minutes to go.

The result means Barrow are now five points above Swinton Lions - who beat bottom side Rochdale Hornets - with four games to go of the Betfred Championship Shield Super Eights.

Barrow Raiders: Ryan Fieldhouse; Georgy Gambaro, Danny Morrow, Ryan Burroughs, Tom Loxam; Jamie Dallimore, Lewis Charnock; Arnaud Bartes, Nathan Mossop, Alec Susino, Jono Smith, Bradd Crellin, Martin Aspinwall. Interchange: Dan Toal, Matty Holmes, Saloty Mendy, Dean Parata.

Batley Bulldogs: David Scott; Keenen Tomlinson, Sam Seaton, Lewis Galbraith, Jonathon Campbell; Louis Jouffret, Dom Brambani; Adam Gledhill, Alistair Leak, James Harrison, Dane Manning, Bradley Day, James Brown. Interchange: Michael Ward, Alex Rowe, Joel Farell, Patch Walker.

Referee: James Child.

Attendance: 1,103.

Playback: 4 – Gambaro try (4-0); 7 – Campbell try (4-4); 15 – Campbell try (4-8); 24 – Brambani try, Scott conv (4-14); 37 – Day try, Scott conv (4-20); 47 – Charnock try, Dallimore conv (10-20); 55 – Scott try and conv (10-26); 62 – Campbell try (10-30); 67 – Day try, Walker conv (10-36); 75 – Holmes try, Dallimore conv (16-36).

Raiders star man: Georgy Gambaro.