COUGARS player-coach Paul March is not fazed by the delay in the start of his side’s league campaign as he targeted winning the League 1 Cup at the Summer Bash in Blackpool.

The league fixtures for the third-tier teams do not begin until early April, but the new cup competition will be their first meaningful action the previous month.

Cougars host amateurs East Leeds on Sunday, March 1 to kick off the tournament as they bid to go all the way to Bloomfield Road.

The Summer Bash, which is the Championship's answer to Super League's Magic Weekend, will include the first final of the new League 1 Cup, which will kick off the action on Saturday, May 23.

March said: “It’s obviously disappointing the league campaign doesn’t start a bit earlier but we’ve got a cup competition to focus on first.

“That’s our number-one goal at the moment and we have sat down and talked about that.

“We’re disappointed we’re not going to be involved in the Summer Bash from a league game point of view because the event is for Championship clubs only.

“But the cup competition gives us an opportunity to make sure that we are there and that’s our number-one goal now.

“Everybody wants to win trophies and that’s the first one on our list.

“We are in it to win it and I think if we put a marker down early on that we are contenders, then everyone will take us seriously.

“People will up their games against us but we will do the same instead of getting dragged down to their level.

“It’s a competition we want to win and hopefully will set a marker for everyone.

“We’ve got five friendlies before round of the League 1 Cup, so we’re going to be ready to go when that game against East Leeds comes around.

“We’ll give them the respect they deserve and do a professional job on them.”

March, meanwhile, admits he is delighted with the strength of his squad following the news that Josh Lynam has returned to his hometown club.

The highly-regarded second-rower put pen to paper at training on Tuesday and March added: “The squad is certainly looking very strong.

“A lot of players were committed to what we were doing last season and it’s a credit to them that they have stuck together.

“We’re going to fight hard next season and hopefully bring some happy times back to Cougar Park again.

“We were a bit short in the front row last season but, with Josh coming back, it will probably allow me to move Brendan Rawlins into the front row and let him play longer minutes.

“I’ve got a lot of options now with Josh coming back and we’ve obviously got the likes of Ash Lindsay, Ollie Pursglove and Lewis Graham.

“We’ve got a lot of competition there now, which is good not only for the squad but for each individual as well – to make sure they are all on their game.”

Lynam admits that rejoining his home-town club was a no-brainer.

He said: “They’re a great club who I have supported all my life and played for for many years now.

“When I came back from Australia, there was only one place I was playing my rugby and it was the Keighley Cougars. I’ve played with pretty much the entire team at one point or another, so to come back into a squad full of great lads I’ve known for a long time makes coming back so much easier.”

The forward is under no illusions as to what is expected from Cougars this year in a season which will see much more time on the road in a league featuring teams much further afield.

He said: “Promotion is the bare minimum. Cougar Park should be a fortress and when we play away we will have to prepare ourselves mentally as you can’t travel 600 miles to play South Wales just expecting to win because every game will be tough. I can imagine a lot of the lads taking Mondays off this year!”

On Cougars’ rivals, he added: “Rochdale Hornets have a very strong squad. Danny Bridge is an absolutely outstanding signing for this level.

“Swinton Lions have recruited well also and have a good mix of experience with exciting young players but I think we should be far too strong for the vast majority of sides in the division.”

Cougars chairman Gary Fawcett spoke of his delight in bringing Lynam back to the club.

He said: “I feel for Josh as he obviously went to Australia with great expectations but it didn't work out for him through no fault of his own.

“However, the club are really please to have him back as it strengthens us for the push for the League Cup and promotion this year!”