WOODLAND'S captain Cieran Garner insists his side are well prepared to defend their 2019 cup double, ahead of their crunch fixtures this weekend.

The Bradford side claimed trophies in the league and cup that year and are well on course to having another successful campaign.

After eight games in, minus the two abandoned fixtures, Woodlands have begun the campaign in astonishing fashion, winning all six of their league matches to sit well placed at the summit of the Bradford Premier League.

They will face Pudsey St Lawrence in the league on Saturday.

And after overcoming league rivals Townville in the last 16, Woodlands face an extremely tough quarter final trip to Castleford on Sunday, a side who are taking control in the Yorkshire Premier League North.

However, Garner is looking forward to the challenge ahead, and feel his side are well equipped to advance to the next round.

He said: "We certainly recognise what a good season Castleford are having, certainly with knocking out Hanging Heaton in the last round.

"We are familiar with a few of their players, so we know how well they're getting on.

"They're another side we won't be taking for granted, but we are going into it with confidence, and big games bring the best out of us."

Discussing what he believes Castleford will bring to the fixture, Garner said: "They'll be up for it 110%.

"They'll want to put a tally on our own backs, in terms of our own success, and they'll be coming into it with nothing to lose.

"It's a free shot at us, giving our success in this competition in the past."

Garner added: "The key message we are putting out for this game is to stay patient. There are going to be times throughout the match where it's not always going our way. There will be spells when our partnerships come under pressure, so it's just about staying patient and letting our quality see us through.

"We are all extremely excited about the prospect of progressing. We are not thinking too far ahead, but the proposition of reaching another final excites us. We've experienced a number of finals and there is nothing better than reaching the latter stages of a cup competition.

"The prize at the end of it is huge, and it's something we want to achieve this season."

Garner also feels his side have gone under the radar, in line with their early season success.

He said: "Confidence is flowing through the team at the moment and it has carried on from when we won the double in 2019.

"What always spurs us on is that even now, despite us being the double winners, we always seem to go under the radar, only until we are almost halfway through the season, and people realise that Woodlands are back at the top."