Batley Bulldogs aiming for repeat result in Championship play-off semi

Craig Lingard’s men came through their first play-off examination with an 18-8 win at Barrow Raiders and now face old foes Featherstone with a place in the famous “Million Pound” game at stake.

As the third highest place side remaining in the competition the Bulldogs face a daunting task in another away game, but their results and performances against Brian McDermott’s Rovers give them real belief they can cause an upset.

Batley are the only away side to win at the Millennium Stadium this season and have taken three out of the four available points against Featherstone, having also drawn with them at The Fox’s Biscuits Stadium.

The next big showdown between the two West Yorkshire sides is the second of the play-off semi-finals taking place – Leigh Centurions take on York City Knights in the other – and kicks off at 4pm.

PICTURE SPECIAL: Images from Batley Bulldogs' memorable play-offs win at Barrow

Bulldogs boss Lingard was linked with the head coach job at Wakefield Trinity, but has revealed that there was never any contact before the Belle Vue club appointed former Batley player Mark Applegarth.

He said: “I got told by three or four different people that I’d got the job and I thought someone needs to tell me if that’s the case because I’ve not applied for it and nobody from the club spoke to me.

“I’m not going actively going to apply for a job, if people want me they know where I am and they can come and get me sort of thing. I’ve got more important things to worry about this year and that’s finishing the season with Batley as positively as we possibly can.

"I’ve made no secret that I want to coach at the highest level that I possibly can and to even be mentioned in a conversation or a rumour about a Super League job is massive for me.

Hopefully an an opportunity will come for me like it has Mark. I was assistant to John Kear when Mark was playing here. As a player he was very diligent, very hardworking and very honest.”