CRAIG Lingard has criticised the current League One fixture format as Cougars return to action for the first time in more than three weeks on Sunday.

Keighley head to Coventry Bears 22 days after their last game on Good Friday, which saw them beat Hunslet and leaves them currently fifth in the table.

Now Cougars face two games in four days as their home match against Barrow has been brought forward to next Wednesday due to the Cumbrians' Challenge Cup clash with Leeds on Sunday, May 14.

With Raiders involved in the League One Cup final against North Wales Crusaders on Sunday, May 28, there are no other weekend slots available before the Super Eights cut-off date on Sunday, July 16.

Lingard admits the disjointed nature of the campaign – Cougars have played just five League One games while nearly all Super League and Championship clubs have completed 12 fixtures – is a hindrance.

And he would advocate scrapping the current system – which sees sides play each other once before the league splits in half for the Super Eights – in favour of a more traditional one.

Lingard said: "I think it is a really poorly organised league. I don’t think there has been a great deal of thought put into the fixture list.

"It's rugby league all over – they (the RFL) look after the top tier and everyone else has to drop in line behind that.

"I'm not a massive fan of the league formula. I think everyone should have to play each other home and away to get a realistic view of the table.

"For example, we travel up to Whitehaven and Workington in consecutive weeks. They are difficult to play on their own patch and they don’t travel too well, so we’re on the wrong end of that.

"I don’t see how you can have a league decided by playing home or away.

"I would get rid of the League One Cup, get rid of the Super Eights at the end of the year and just have a straight 'play everyone home and away' and that way you have a more realistic table."

After Barrow's visit, Cougars have just one other game this month - an away trip to Doncaster on Sunday, May 21 with another blank weekend following when the League One Cup final takes place.

Lingard admits the stop-start programme doesn't help his training regime.

He said: "It is hard to maintain momentum. We don’t want to drop off in training but it can be difficult dragging lads in three or four times a week, only to have no game at the end of the week.

"We want to keep intensity levels high but sometimes players being players, they might not be as switched on in training as they might be because they are not playing for two weeks.

"It is about getting the right balance with training commitments, keeping the players interested and making sure the players are fully focused when you’ve got them there."

With Cougars’ next home weekend fixture not until Saturday, June 3 – a gap of over seven weeks after their Good Friday clash with Hunslet – they are trying to boost their gate at home to Barrow.

The club expect their usual attendance figure to take a hit due to the switch to midweek and the fact that Barrow fans also have trips to Leeds, Toronto and Blackpool in the same month.

They are providing a ‘Golden Ticket Bonanza’ special offer in which season ticket holders of Super League and Championship clubs can attend the game for just £5.