SANDBACH beat Wigan for the first time ever on Saturday.
The Bradwall Road side had the worst possible start to the day. Heavy traffic meant just 16 men arrived at the ground in time for kick-off - minus the kit!
But they shrugged aside the lack of club colours, an absence of a warm-up and a slightly tweaked starting line-up to grab the historic win - wearing Wigan's colours.
Skipper Ray Jones explained: 'It was a nightmare start. Some of the lads didn't make it through the traffic and it
just so happened that the kit didn't make it either.
'Wigan were kind enough to lend us one, but it meant we started late and without a warm-up so it wasn't the best preparation for an important game.
'But the lads pulled together in atrocious conditions. One minute it was snowing, then hailing and then it would be brilliant sunshine. We didn't know where we were. The forwards were excellent and the scrummaging was superb. It is another win, and that is all we came for.'
Playing with the wind at their backs in the first half, Sandbach missed a couple of kicks at goal before Dan Massey crashed over under the posts. Andy Rollings converted.
The expected pressure came from the home side after the break, but Sandbach stood strong to continue their upsurge in fortunes. nSandbach seconds went down 17-10 to Glossop.
The early loss of Albert Chan with a dislocated shoulder was a sign of things to come. The only bright spots were a powerful try from Martin Beecher, and an exquisite drop goal from Chris Greenhalgh.
A team spokesman said: 'This was a game of 15 individual players. To get back into winning ways we must play as a team. We need to dig deep and play with blood and guts.' * Northwich thirds crushed Sand-bach thirds 39-7. Captain Richard Pickford scored the consolatory try, with Richard Brookes converting. * Sandbach U15s beat Coundon Court School of Coventry) 27-10. Adam Colvin starred with four tries, while Andrew Marrow grabbed a single along with a conversion. Meanwhile, Sandbach U14s were beaten 39-0 by Coventry.
