Bradford admire Batley consistency and aim to beat slope

The Bulldogs look well set for a third consecutive season in the Betfred Championship play-offs, all while changing very little.

Bulls can close to within a point of Craig Lingard’s side with a win at Mount Pleasant tomorrow, but the hosts would virtually wrap up a top-six spot with victory, while leaving Bulls in a furious fight to make the end-of-season shootout.

Greenwood said: “Batley have that consistency and bar one or two players, you can pretty much name their team each week, which is the polar opposite to us.

“They’ve not brought anyone in since the start of the year apart from Luke Hooley, who used to be here anyway.

“It’s a settled side, where everyone knows their role, they stick in there for the full 80 minutes and they’re strong across the field.

Until Monday, Batley had been the only side to beat Bulls at Odsal this season. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

“That’s nothing new, they’ve been good for a long time.

“When I was there myself, we won the Northern Rail Cup, and that club spirit they have is probably not replicated anywhere else.

“On our part, we’ve got to go there with the right preparation and mindset, or we’ll have no chance of winning.”

Greenwood says Bulls have take the pitch’s infamous slope into account too, adding: “You try not to factor the slope into things, but it’s unique and the biggest around, so you have to.

Batley's heavily-sloping pitch poses a challenge for all those who play on it, especially the less-accustomed visitors. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

“There are pros and cons to both sides though, and it can be hard to defend going downhill when you’re playing with a speedy ruck.

“There’s a lot to be said for the kicking game on a pitch like that too, as you don’t want to put too much on it and the kick go dead or not put enough on it uphill.”

Greenwood admitted the challenge of the Championship is harder this year too, saying: “There are no easy wins, and no-one who’ll roll over against you.

Barrow are only a point above the drop zone, with Bulls in fifth, but the Cumbrians have won both games against the BD6 side this season. (Image: Tom Pearson.)

“Everyone has something to play for still this season, where often a team would have gone down by now.

“You can’t be off it on any week.”

That was the case in the defeat to lowly Barrow on Monday night and Greenwood said: “We need to perform right on Sunday and get our heads around the challenges Batley pose.

“The results take care of themselves when you do that, but if you’re not there at the start of the game, results like Barrow happen.”