Boss Mark Aston is hoping Sheffield Eagles’ Wembley return sparks its own legacy

Eagles secured a return to the national stadium with an 18-2 victory over their Championship rivals Batley Bulldogs in an 1895 Cup semi-final at Olympic Legacy Park.

Several members of the team which stunned Wigan Warriors in the 1998 Challenge Cup final were there to see the new generation follow in thier footsteps.

Mark Aston, Lance Todd Trophy winner all those years ago, kept Sheffield alive following the ill-fated merger with Huddersfield Giants and is still coaching the team.

He is assisted by Keith Senior and another Wembley hero, Paul Broadbent, is the father of Blake Broadbent who was among Eagles’ substitutes yesterday.

The club have endured some very dark days since creating the biggest shock in Challenge Cup history, but – after several years as nomads playing at Doncaster and Wakefield – they are back in their home city and Aston hopes returning to the biggest stage will lead to new fans coming on board. Only 727, including a sizeable contingent from Batley, watched yesterday’s tie and Aston described reaching the final as “massive” for the club.

He said: “It is emotional, it has been a tough couple of years.

“I saw people today who I haven’t seen for years and they were saying ‘we are back’.

“We need to get the stadium sorted and then we can put the footings down again.

“We have got a quality group of players now and a board of directors who are all behind it and there’s a lot of work going in.

“Going to Wembley is going to get us back into the public domain in Sheffield and let’s hope Sheffield people come back and support us in the big game.”

Eagles led 6-2 at half-time, Joel Farrell scoring a try which Pat Walker converted before Louis Jouffret landed a penalty goal for the visitors.

In the second half Eagles camped on Batley’s line, but did not make the game safe until the 66th minute when Jacob Ogden crossed, then Oliver Davies touched down late on, Walker adding the extras to both.

“The boys were great today, added Aston.

“Defensively they were outstanding.

“We kept our nerve and we had the attitude, belief and confidence.”

Batley have never played at Wembley and may never get this close again.

“Errors killed us,” was coach Matt Diskin’s assessment.

“If you can’t keep hold of the ball you’ve got no chance.

“We had no field position. In the whole game I think we had four sets inside the Sheffield 20 and you can’t win games like that.”

Sheffield Eagles: Guzdek, Millar, Ogden, Hellewell, Blackmore, Walker, Thackeray, Pick, G Burns, Knowles, Farrell, Davies, A Brown. Subs Makelim, B Broadbent, Mason, P Burns.

Batley Bulldogs: Scott, Reittie, Smeaton, J Broadbent, Campbell, Jouffret, Brambani, Gledhill, Leak, Dickinson, Downs, Manning, Brearley. Subs Bienek, J Brown, Everett, Wood.

Referee: G Hewer (Whitehaven).