Harrison still hopeful of play-off place

Batley’s medical staff will check on Chris Buttery (knee) after he needed to be substituted during last week’s defeat against Dewsbury.

Bulldogs still have an outside chance of making the Co-operative Championship play-offs, but coach Karl Harrison admits his side need to improve from last week’s display.

Harrison said: “The best team won by a country mile. I was disappointed with some of my guys’ performances.

“To win four games from four to get in the six might be too hard for us now, but you never know, do you?”

Cougars coach Barry Eaton will name an 18-man squad featuring Tom Sheldrake and the 17 players who beat Toulouse last week.

Eaton said: “We’re expecting Batley to have a response from last week.

“Karl’s done a really good job and they’re a benchmark for the so-called smaller clubs in the Championship to show that things can be done.

“However, I’m sure I remember Karl saying at the start of the season that they were aiming for the play-offs, so they’ll be disappointed with where they are.”

Keighley have only lost one more game than Batley in this year’s Co-operative Championship.

Eaton said: “Everyone’s got a bit of a misconception because of our points deduction. We’ve been a thoroughly competitive team.”