80 minutes away from Wembley: ‘Emotional’ Craig Lingard may not be able to find the words if Batley Bulldogs win their ‘biggest game of the season’ in the semi-finals of the 1895 Cup at York Knights

Despite three Challenge Cup triumphs since being founded in 1880, Batley have never competed at one of sports’ most iconic stadiums in their 143 years of existence.

But that could all be set to change on Sunday at the LNER Community Stadium (kick off 12pm), with the Bulldogs 80 minutes away gracing the Wembley turf, in what Lingard has described as their “biggest game of the season.”

He said: “It is probably the biggest game in some of these players’ careers. I know they played in a grand final last year but there was no sort of pressure going into that and no one expected us to win.

“We realistically achieved the pinnacle of what we could achieve last year going up against that Leigh side who were so good and by far the best team that’s ever been in the Championship - you can see how well they are doing in Super League.

“But now we have got a very, very realistic chance of going to Wembley and being the first group of players and coaching staff that has ever taken the club to Wembley. It is certainly the biggest game this season.”

On what it would mean to Lingard, the club’s record try scorer with his own terrace at the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium named after him, if he could guide Batley to the famous ground, he said:

“It’s difficult to put into words how important it is and how much of an achievement it would be and what it would mean to me. The club has played a huge part in my life in three separate stints, as a player, assistant coach and now as head coach.

“It’s nearly two decades of my life hat I’ve spent at the club and for the people that I’ve met there, both personally and professionally, if we can share that achievement and the day with other people where the club has played a massive part of their lives, it would be very, very emotional, but also extremely pleasing as well.

“I don’t think I’ll need to say a great deal because the players don’t need any motivation. They set this target themselves and their focus has been on this all the way through the season.”

However, Lingard is certainly under no illusion of the task at hand, against a York side who have won their last three Championship games.

“They are having a bit of a resurgence having suffered with a lot of injuries early season,” Lingard noted. “You can see the quality they have got in the squad that it is going to be a difficult test for us.”

He added: “We beat them earlier in the season but we were lucky to win that day as York were the better team.

“We know that it is going to be a really stiff task, especially going to their ground. They will be fully buoyed and fully confident based on their last three performances they have had so it should make for a really interesting contest.”