BASTIEN Ader ran in a hat-trick as promotion-chasing Toulouse Olympique inflicted Barrow Raiders’ worst home defeat for 13 years on them with a 72-6 rout in this afternoon’s Betfred Championship encounter.

The visitors had stormed into a 38-0 lead at half time and did not relent after the break, with Ader’s total, two tries apiece for Christopher Centrone and Paul Seguier, plus 10 out of 13 successful conversions from Mark Kheirallah helped Toulouse ease past the Raiders.

Barrow were not helped by still having a side decimated with injuries and there was an immediate return to action for Liam Harrison too following his decision to come out of retirement.

However, Harrison’s second-half try was the only thing the home fans had to cheer as the Raiders suffered their worst defeat since going down 72-12 to Halifax at Craven Park in 2005.

The match got off to the worst possible start for Barrow as Ryan Fieldhouse dropped the ball from the kick-off on his own 10-metre line, giving Toulouse a scrum from which they worked an attack which was finished by hooker Anthony Marion stretching out to score, followed by Kheirallah converting.

Two tries in six minutes from Ader then put Toulouse firmly in control. The first came on 11 minutes after the French side had forced a goal-line drop-out and the centre evaded a would-be tackled to score – converted by Kheirallah – and the second when Joseph Bretherton broke the line and set in motion a flowing attack which led to an unconverted score.

Winger Christopher Centrone then got in on the act, finishing out wide on the left for an unconverted score after a hopeful pass out wide evaded Ryan Burroughs’ interception attempt in the 26th minute.

Then from the restart, Toulouse surged forward and Centrone was sent streaking way unopposed for a try which Kheirallah converted.

Paul Seguier was next over for a converted try, brushing past a tackle attempt to go over from close range on 33 minutes, and full-back Kheirallah managed Toulouse’s seventh of the afternoon on the stroke of half time along with adding the extras.

It was a similar story after the break and Toulouse were in again two minutes after the restart when Seguier forced his way over for another converted score, although the home fans did have something to cheer about when Harrison was sent over for a try on his return by Dean Parata, having drawn a penalty in the first place.

But Jamie Dallimore was sin-binned soon after for a swinging arm and Harrison’s score proved to be only scant consolation as further tries from Rhys Curran, Paul Marcon, Ader, Justin Sangare and William Barthau secured a comprehensive victory for the second-placed side.

Barrow Raiders: Brett Carter; Ryan Burroughs, Liam Harrison, Tom Loxam, Jonny Pownall; Ryan Fieldhouse, Jamie Dallimore; Ryan Duffy, Nathan Mossop, Alec Susino, Bradd Crellin, Jarrad Stack, Dan Toal. Interchange: Matty While, Dean Parata, Glenn Riley, Jono Smith.

Toulouse Olympique: Mark Kheirallah; Paul Marcon, Gavin Marguerite, Christopher Centrone; Jonathon Ford, William Barthau; Joe Bretherton, Anthony Marion, Maxine Puech, Sebastian Planas, Rhys Curran, Clement Boyer. Interchange: Charles Bouzinac, Paul Seguier, Tyla Hepi, Justin Sangare.

Referee: Scott Mikalauskas.