Paul March hailed the thumping win at Whitehaven as Cougars’ “best performance for a long time” as he set his sights on another win in Cumbria at Workington this evening.

The player-coach was left delighted after his side’s 52-18 success at the Recreation Ground on Sunday which eased Cougars’ relegation fears and encouraged hopes that a play-off spot is within their grasp.

March rolled back the years with a vintage display which saw him score a hat-trick and earn the Premier Sports Championship Player of the Week award. He was joined in the Team of the Week by loose forward Brendon Rawlins.

Cougars were 34-0 up at half-time after running in seven first-half tries and March said: “It was a great team performance.

“We executed well and we defended well – and we played for 80 minutes for a change.

“It was probably one of our best performances for a long time and even the Whitehaven supporters were saying that a team hadn’t done that to them for a long time.

“That was pleasing and it sets us up nicely for the last three games – starting tonight at Workington.

“We’re still aiming to achieve a play-off spot and we will be doing everything we possibly can to get there.”

March’s squad is in good health and Elliott Cosgrove, James Haley, Paul White, Ben Sagar and Ollie Pursglove – none of whom featured at Whitehaven – all in contention to play some part.

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Scott Leatherbarrow will join Batley on a two-year deal from next season.

The Wigan-based scrum half is understood to have landed a full-time sports development officer role in the north-west, meaning he will relinquish his current part-time community coaching role at Cougars.