BATLEY BULLDOGS coach James Ford and his players are looking to push forward after putting themselves into the club record books by running rampant against North Wales.
The Colwyn Bay side, back in business after emerging from insolvency under new ownership but with a makeshift side, were thrashed 108-10 at the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium.
That beat Batley’s previous best win of 100-4 away to Gateshead (now Newcastle) in a Northern Rail Cup group game in March 2010, when Karl Harrison was in charge and his side went on to win that competition.
Johnny Campbell claimed a hat-trick 16 years ago as the Bulldogs chalked up 17 tries in total, with Gareth Moore contributing two four-pointers and 16 goals, the latter remaining a club record.
Against North Wales, 20 tries were notched, three of them (in the space of seven minutes) by centre Jack Hudson.
Robbie Butterworth, Akim Matvejev, Derrell Olpherts and Ben Reynolds each recorded doubles, while Nyle Flynn, Robson Stevens, Liam Kirk, Ollie Greensmith, Joe Burton, debutant Mitch Beedle, Evan Hodgson, Lucas Walshaw and Dane Manning also crossed.
The victory, which came on the back of a 26-22 win at Keighley, elevated Batley into the top-ten play-off places.
And with twelve regular-season league games still to go, starting at Goole on Saturday, Ford wants to further climb the table.
“We knew what North Wales had gone through, and that they still have a distance to travel to get to where they want to be,” said the boss.
“I just felt it was important that we put our focus on ourselves, working on lessons we picked up against Keighley, a match we should have put to be earlier than we did, and getting closer to where we want to be.”