Batley Bulldogs looking to return to winning ways at home to Goole Vikings
Batley Bulldogs will be looking to return to winning ways when they welcome Goole Vikings to the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium this Sunday (April 26), kick off 3pm.
The Bulldogs were knocked out of the 1895 Cup at Newcastle Thunder last weekend in a 34-20 defeat, meaning their full attention turns to the Betfred Championship.
In the league, James Ford’s men have won three of their opening eight rounds of fixtures - including their last home game against Heavy Woollen rivals Dewsbury Rams on Good Friday - and currently sit in 12th place in the table.
They beat the Rams 21-20 thanks to a dramatic Josh Woods drop-goal, but suffered one-point heartache of their own in their very next Championship match at Salford, losing 29-28.
Sunday’s visitors Goole may be six places below the Bulldogs in the table but the teams are only separated by two points.
The Vikings have won two games from their first nine league outings. But, since beating Dewsbury 16-14 at FLAIR Stadium on February 21, they have suffered five consecutive defeats.
Their only other Championship triumph also came on their travels though, in Round 2 at Swinton Lions in a 28-24 win.
However, unlike the Bulldogs, Goole did taste success in the 1895 Cup last weekend by comprehensively beating Whitehaven 40-10.
In their ranks is captain Brett Ferres, who has played in Super League for Bradford Bulls, Wakefield Trinity, Castleford Tigers, Huddersfield Giants and Leeds Rhinos, who he won a Grand Final with in 2017.
Elsewhere in the Championship on Sunday, ninth-placed Dewsbury travel to tenth-placed Rochdale Hornets, joint-table toppers London Broncos make a trip to Doncaster, while Halifax Panthers travel to Widnes Vikings.