Craig Lingard ‘not expecting’ another one-sided spectacle between Batley Bulldogs and Halifax Panthers as he prepares for 1895 Cup final without Leeds Rhinos star Luke Hooley

Batley have failed to win any of their last three league games since that one-sided encounter at the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium last month, including the recent 42-6 home defeat at the hands of Bradford Bulls, while Fax have won two their last Championship fixtures, including the 25-22 victory over Featherstone Rovers, Sean Long’s last game before departing as head coach, on Sunday.

“I’m not expecting a 42-0 performance when you look at the form of both teams since that day,” Lingard admitted. You’d think that Halifax are on the up and we’re on the down. We’ve not won a league game since we’ve played them. They got a great win against Featherstone and seem to be finding a little bit of form.”

He added: “They have got a bit more continuity and you can see that in the results and performances they have had. It is going to be a totally different proposition, and team, to the game that we played when we beat them 42-0.

“I’m certainly not expecting anything similar to that at all.”

Luke Hooley starred for the Bulldogs in that game, scoring a hat-trick of tries, while also kicking an additional 14 points. However, it is looking increasingly likely that the full-back’s parent club, Leeds Rhinos, may not make him available to Batley for the 1895 Cup final - the club’s first ever appearance at Wembley in their 143-year history.

Lingard revealed: “There’s an issue with Luke over at Leeds and whether he is going to be available or not. It’s looking unlikely I think. If that is the case it will be really disappointing for Luke, particularly with Leeds not having a game.

“But he’s their player so it’s their choice with what they want to do with Luke but having the opportunity to play at Wembley is not something you always get. It might be the only opportunity he gets throughout his career. I hope it’s not but I think it will be really disappointing on a personal level if he wasn’t allowed to play.”

He added: “But he’s not our player and we don’t have a say over that. We are thankful for what Leeds have done for us in terms of the availability they have given to us this season.

“With the injuries over at Leeds with Richie Myler being injured and Blake Austin leaving to go to Cas they’re a little bit light on their pivot areas and it might mean that he is now a good option and a good opportunity for him to have a run in the Leeds team. As a coach, I can totally understand.”

Looking ahead to the historic occasion, Lingard said:

“We will enjoy the occasion because they don’t come around all the time. We have got to put the disappointment against Bradford behind us and enjoy whatever is going to come because it might be the last opportunity some of these players get.”