CRAIG Lingard has urged Cougars not to let the fall-out of their controversial Challenge Cup clash against Fryston disturb their start to the League One campaign.

Keighley kick off their season at home to North Wales Crusaders on Sunday following their fiery encounter with Warriors, which has hit the national spotlight following a mass brawl.

The Rugby Football League are investigating incidents on and off the pitch during the tie at Featherstone Rovers ground, which Keighley won 50-32 to earn a trip to Barrow in the fourth round.

Second row Emmerson Whittel, who was sent off along with Fryston's Andy Speake, suffered a broken jaw after video footage appeared to show him being set upon by several Warriors players. He is understood to be considering contacting the police over the matter.

But Lingard does not want his side to become distracted, saying: "It is really important that we calm down from what happened last week.

"The publicity is only going to increase around this, and the media attention, but we need to deal with that as a unit and focus."

While Lingard is pleased to have made progress in two knockout competitions, there is no doubt where his priorities lie.

He said: "As nice as it is to try and win the iPro Sport Cup and go as far as you can in the Challenge Cup, the league is our bread and butter.

"If someone said you could finish in the top four and get knocked out of the first round of every cup, I’d take it. That’s ultimately what Keighley want to do – they want to get to the Championship."

Lingard wants two victories under his belt before Cougars welcome new boys and title favourites Toronto Wolfpack.

He said: "It's massively important we get off to a good start. After North Wales at home we’ve got Gloucester away and if we want to achieve anything this year, we have got to get two wins on the board.

"We’ve then got Toronto at home which is a step into the unknown. If you win your first two games you are riding the crest of a wave and anything can happen – and then we’ve got Hemel Stags after that.

"We can have a positive start to the season if things go our way and we work hard enough.

"After our first four games we could be sitting in a really good position in the league and looking forward to the rest of the season but if we are not switched on and we get caught cold against the likes of North Wales and Gloucester then we could be going into the Toronto game with a bit of a struggle."

Crusaders slipped to defeat against the All Golds in the Challenge Cup last week but showed they are no pushovers by defeating last year's beaten iPro Sport Cup finalists York City Knights in this season's first round.

"They play some good rugby and if we let them get on a roll they’ll cause a bit of trouble", added Lingard who again wants to see an improvement in Keighley's goal-line defence.

The head coach admits the loss of Whittel, who faces three months on the sidelines and was due for more tests yesterday to establish if he needs an operation, is a big blow.

The 22-year-old former Bradford Bulls Academy player had made an impressive start to his Cougars career since joining from Gloucester in the off-season.

Lingard said: “He’s obviously devastated in terms of missing next three months. He’s come to us and been absolutely outstanding in pre-season - in his work ethic, in training and in the way he has played.

“ I’m devastated to lose him from our team and for him as he has worked so hard.”