Sandbach 19 Hoylake 8

SANDBACH are aiming to create club history for the second time in eight days on Saturday.

The Bradwall Road side overcame Hoylake for the first time in league competition, on Saturday. Now they want to beat Wigan for first time at the weekend.

Captain Ray Jones said: 'This win really shows the progress we have made. We are looking a lot harder to beat and the league table is starting to show that.

'Before Christmas we played as though we could just turn up and let things happen. But we have changed that, are working harder and it is paying off.

'We started slowly against Hoylake but finally got in control. By the end we were playing very well. Andy Rollings got some difficult kicks and new prop Dave Milne showed his worth.'

Hoylake got an early try and a penalty in the first half, but a hat-trick of Andy Rollings' penalties gave the home side a 9-8 advantage at the break.

In the second-half Sandbach cranked their play up a notch, and Tom Strauss's first try at this level widened the gap. Rollings converted from an acute angle, and added another penalty.

A youthful Sandbach seconds went down 17-10 to Glossop.

It was a particularly disappointing result after Sandbach had beaten Glossop 55-0 and 18-8 this season. But several younger players had to be drafted in, while others were absent, and the lack of power took its toll.

Vice-captain George Elphick said: 'It was a bad day at the office. We just didn't kick-in and play to the best of our ability. I would worry if that happened a lot, but it doesn't. The bright spots were a magnificent try by Martin Beech (converted by Chris Greenhalgh) and a glorious drop-goal by Greenhalgh from a very difficult position.'

Sandbach lost their derby encounter with Congleton seconds 25-5.

The presence of stalwarts Steve Jones, Steve Robin Pipe and Stuart Milward was sorely missed, as a neat try by winger Dan Adams was the only consolation.

A scratch Sandbach fourth team still found enough muscle to beat Buxton at Bradwall Road, by a narrow 17-15 scoreline.

Six Sandbach players helped Cheshire U15 B beat Lancashire U15 B 3-0 in the first match of the county season. James Gaskell kicked the penalty that sealed the win, while Matt Smith, Jack Leech, Ross Sutherland, Adam Wakefield and Adam Colvin all did well on their Cheshire debuts.

Unbeaten Sandbach U10s managed the perfect 10 against Sheffield.

The 10-0 result was thanks to tries from Ollie Moore and Thomas Hutchinson. The U10 second team beat Sheffield seconds 15-5, with tries from Jack Blackhurst (2) and Thomas Butler.