Mark Moxon admits Batley Bulldogs were ‘scruffy’ and ‘scrappy’ in Challenge Cup victory over Rochdale

The League 1 side scored tries at either end of the first half to keep the Bulldogs firmly on their toes in a battling contest but scores from George Senior, Luke Cooper, Joe Burton, Nyle Flynn and Alistair Leak helped Batley to a 30-14 win.

Moxon said: “It was more of a battle than we wanted it to be. I thought we were very scruffy out there. It was scrappy and a totally different performance to the one we put on last week.

“Our prep this week had been thorough, just like it had been last week (against Hunslet) but we certainly didn’t play with that same professionalism and that same focus that we played with last week. We certainly didn’t take them lightly, we just didn’t play well enough on the day.

“We didn’t complete our first set, we gave a penalty away in the second set and we were just scruffy. The game continued like that and we didn’t really get out of that rut.

“We had phases in the game where we looked alright and we were good enough to win the game in the end but we have got plenty of work to do based on that.”

He added: “We are proven now that we can score when we get the good ball and when we do the right things and get into the right field positions, we just didn’t do it often enough.

“But I thought Rochdale were very good. Compliments to Rochdale. They had a proper dig and I wish them all the best for the League 1 season.”

Ben White achieved the milestone of appearing in his 100th consecutive game for the Bulldogs.

On White, Moxon said: “He has been outstanding as Whitey and he will continue to be. I thought he was good again and when he needed to stand up he did. That is Whitey in a nutshell.

“When you need him he is there. He is cool, calm, collected and he has been a real servant to the club.”