BATLEY coach Mark Moxon reckons a clash with Castleford represents the best Challenge Cup scenario for both clubs – even if it will seem strange to see Craig Lingard emerging from the away dressing room at the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium before the sixth-round tie on Saturday.
The pair are not just former Bulldogs colleagues – they were joint-assistants to John Kear for four years from 2013 to 2016 before Lingard, having coached Keighley, held the Batley reins from 2020 until the end of last season with Moxon as his right-hand man – but also close friends.
Lingard, who still holds Batley’s career try-scoring record of 142 (he was a popular fullback from 1998 until 2008) combined coaching the Bulldogs with being assistant at Castleford for the second half of last season, during which he led the former to the 1895 Cup final against winners Halifax at Wembley after making the Championship Grand Final at victorious Leigh the year before.
The 46-year-old then stepped up to take the top job at the Tigers, who had sealed Super League survival under Danny Ward after the departure of Andy Last, while Moxon, 43, became head coach at Batley following twelve years as an assistant, with the clubs subsequently forging a dual-registration partnership.
The 18-14 fightback win at Widnes in round five was Moxon’s fifth in six matches in the job, and he told League Express: “I’ve just added a few of my own ideas to how we’ve always done things here, and hopefully I can keep us competitive in the Championship in the way we were under Linners.
“He was great for this club and great for me – he gave me the kind of responsibility as assistant which helped me step up when the opportunity arose.
“We’re not just ex-colleagues but mates as well, we still talk regularly, and we had an hour on the phone after the draw was made, although we didn’t really mention the match that much.
“It was more about what’s being going on at our respective clubs, and I reckon neither of us wanted to give too much away, although we know each other that well, each knows how the other thinks and works in any case.
“It’s a great draw, because not only does it bring Linners back to a place where he will always be popular, but it also has the makings of a cracking, old-fashioned cup-tie.
“From our point of view, it’s winnable in a realistic
way, although we know we’re in for a real test, while for Castleford, it’s an opportunity to kick-start their season after a tough start to Super League.”
In the game of the round Leeds and St Helens will clash head-on in a quick repeat of Friday’s Super League meeting at Headingley on Friday in a game that will be screened live online on BBC Sport.
Holders Leigh will again lock horns with their old Championship adversaries Featherstone on Saturday (live on The Sportsman), while second-tier Sheffield head to 2022 competition winners Wigan, 26 years after the original Eagles shocked the Cherry and Whites in the final at Wembley, on Friday.
Halifax, the fourth Championship contender, take on Catalans in West Yorkshire on Sunday while there are three other all-Super League ties alongside Leeds versus St Helens. Last year’s beaten finalists Hull KR are at home to Salford on Friday while on Saturday, Huddersfield host Hull FC and Warrington welcome London, having visited the capital club in Super League last week.
The quarter-finals will be played on the weekend of April 13/14 and the semi-finals on May 18/19.
