COUGARS coach Craig Lingard is delighted by how quickly his side are gelling as they prepare for their toughest yet in pre-season.

He returns to his former club Batley on Sunday as Keighley take on last year's surprise package from the Championship.

Lingard knows it won't be easy at Bulldogs, who reached the Super Eights qualifiers in 2016, but has been encouraged by Cougars' first two friendly outings.

An 82-12 win over amateur outfit Hunslet Warriors was followed by a 42-0 hammering of League One rivals Whitehaven.

Lingard said: "The attitude and desire the guys are showing and their togetherness has come really quickly.

"It’s something you can’t teach. That’s about the atmosphere we are creating and the professionalism we’ve brought to the club.

"The whole ethos is helping bring the sort of players we want."

Having boosted his ranks with the arrival of a second centre – Eze Harper signing from Leigh following the capture of Adam Ryder – Lingard is set to tinker with his line-up against the club where he served as assistant coach to John Kear following a lengthy playing career at Mount Pleasant.

He said: "There will be a bit of rotation again like last week. Players who were carrying a bit of a niggle who we wanted to rest (last week) will come back in.

"It’s a step up in class and we want to test ourselves against the best so when we come to the league season we are ready to go."

Meanwhile, Lingard was pleased to give young winger Lewis Davey his debut against Whitehaven.

He said: "Strength in depth is something we are looking at building and that comes from the reserves. If we can give these guys a bit of game time in the first team it shows what there is for them if they perform well."