Batley Bulldogs's Big Match Verdict: Ten-try Batley deliver right response for coach Diskin

he asked for a response and Batley Bulldogs boss Matt Diskin felt he got one.
Bulldogs coach Matt Diskin.Bulldogs coach Matt Diskin.
Bulldogs coach Matt Diskin.

Bulldogs bounced back from the previous week’s 32-6 loss to Featherstone Rovers by battering Sheffield Eagles 54-10 in the Kingstone Press Championship.

Batley ran in 10 tries, with winger Wayne Reittie, second-row Brad Day and substitute half-back Tom Holmes all bagging a brace and hooker Alistair Leek, scrum-half Dominic Brambani, centre Macauley Hallett and winger Michael Hayward also crossing.

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Diskin said: “I thought it was a good, disciplined performance.

Batley tryscorer Tom Holmes. PIC: Jonathan GawthorpeBatley tryscorer Tom Holmes. PIC: Jonathan Gawthorpe
Batley tryscorer Tom Holmes. PIC: Jonathan Gawthorpe

“For 70 mminutes of that game we carried out what we practiced, for the first time this year.

“It was always going to be a bit scrappy at the back end, when you get those scorelines, but we built a lot of pressure in the first 20 minutes and we learned from the experience of last week, when we got frustrated. This week we were really disciplined, carried out our plan and the points came because of that.”

Diskin accused his team of being too “lateral” against Rovers.

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“It was better,” he said. “We still aren’t where we are potentially capable of going, but we played a lot more direct than we have done previously.

Batley tryscorer Tom Holmes. PIC: Jonathan GawthorpeBatley tryscorer Tom Holmes. PIC: Jonathan Gawthorpe
Batley tryscorer Tom Holmes. PIC: Jonathan Gawthorpe

“We have still got to fine-tune some stuff, but if we are scoring 54 points and I’m still not totally happy that can’t be a bad thing.

“We will keep pushing and keep re-educating the halves how to play square and play with some width, but we took a really positive step in the right direction today.”

Diskin was delighted with debutants Joel Farrell, signed from Dewsbury Rams and Holmes, who is on loan from Castleford Tigers.

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“I thought Joel was really good,” Diskin said. “Towards the end you could tell it was his first game, he was cramping a bit so we pulled him off, but it was a good, controlled performance; he was tough in D [defence] and he carried the ball strongly and showed some good footwork as well.”

Of Holmes, he added: “He has got some fantastic skill. He has come from a great club at Castleford, he was a real attribute for us today and will be all year.”