Batley out to enhance new image

Batley's part-timers go to St Helens for their Challenge Cup tie tonight determined not to let the club's new, positive, image be tarnished.

The Bulldogs won a legion of admirers during their exhilarating run in last season's Northern Ford Premiership play-offs and Paul Storey, their coach, believes they can continue to build on that credit.

"We have lost some players, but the noticeable thing is that it is much easier to attract new players than it was," he said. "The old image of Batley as a rubbing-rag club has gone and it has now become the sort of place that people want to come to."

Storey heads for Knowsley Road – and a reunion with his former boss, Jon Sharp, now Saints' assistant coach – full of admiration for the opposition.

"I always make a point of watching Saints, because they are such an entertaining side," he said. "But we have a team of competitors, who go into every game striving to win. They are relishing this chance of playing on the big stage."

That even applies to his prop, Craig Booth, who was momentarily taken aback when he was told at this week's disciplinary hearing that he had escaped a ban.

"He just stood up, looked at them and said: 'You mean you're sending me to St Helens? Can't you just give me one match?'," Storey said.

He and most Batley players hold down other jobs, but they will be taking this afternoon off to prepare and travel for a fixture with considerable historic resonance. In the first Challenge Cup final, in 1897, The Gallant Youths of Batley beat Saints 10-3. "I'd settle for a repeat of that," said Storey.

In tonight's other tie Karl Harrison, the Salford coach, has to decide whether to recall Steve Blakeley at stand-off at Hull KR after recovering from a broken thumb. Rovers hope to have Latham Tawhai, Jon Aston and Craig Murdock back in action.

London Broncos have named an unchanged team for their tie at Leeds tomorrow and have offered a Super League contract to James Hersey, the winner of Prop Idol, their talent search for a new player.

The Bradford chairman, Chris Caisley, is to take a more hands-on role following the resignation of the club's chief executive, Abi Ekoku.