Rugby: Longton search for home comforts in Sandbach derby
LONGTON are out to prove their home is a fortress as they lock horns with Sandbach for the first time in a competitive game.
Tony Wheat's side were without five key men and had hooker Craig Wilson limp off with an ankle injury as they slipped to a last-gasp loss at Scunthorpe on Saturday.
Chris Tennuci returns this weekend, but Wilson is yet to prove his fitness and Matt Davies (unavailable) adds to the four others still on the sidelines.
The derby is expected to come too soon for Tim Wareham (hand), Tom Westwood (knee) and Scott Rawlings (wrist) while Rich Thompson has family commitments.
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But director of rugby Wheat, pictured below, was still looking forward to the challenge of pitting his wits against promoted Sandbach, especially at Trentham Fields.
He said: "It makes things tougher when you're missing so many at this stage, but it gives a chance for players like Zac Heath and Ollie Green to show what they can do.
"There is no history between the two clubs because Sandbach have always been in the northern divisions and we don't really know their players.
"It's not like if we were playing Stoke, Lichfield or Burton but it's as local as we're going to get this year and it adds something to the game.
"We know they are a proper, good rugby club who have done very well to fight their way to this level, but we are at home and we will be tough opponents at home for anyone."
The 36-33 reverse at Scunthorpe made it two defeats and a win to start the season for Longton, although bonus points in both losses have softened the blows.
Wheat said: "We haven't played badly, but we have lost two out of three and that's not good enough.
"Bonus points have made sure we have not fallen out of touch with the pack but you don't want to lose too much ground.
"We led by 14 points with 13 minutes to go against Scunthorpe and although we might moan about their late penalty try to win it, we shouldn't have let it get to that stage.
"We're scoring a lot of tries but conceding too many."
North One West champions Sandbach find themselves in the Midlands region due to a geographical twist of fate.
Promotions and relegations to and from National Two meant their natural home, National Three North, had too many teams whereas the Midlands division was one short.
Captain Will Stockdale is reserving judgment on whether the switch favours his side until the end of the season.
But after two wins and a loss in their first three games, Stockdale is more than happy with life at Bradwall Road and relishing a clash with Longton.
He said: "We are the underdogs, there's absolutely no doubt about that, but we are also an unknown quantity for pretty much every team in this division.
"I'm afraid we don't know too much about anyone else either ... but I think we should be able to hold our own.
"We have made a reasonable start and there is still a buzz around the club that we are playing at level five. Now we are trying to keep the momentum going.
"There was a decent crowd at home on Saturday and there should be a lot coming down with us to Longton this weekend. We're enjoying ourselves."
Sandbach have welcomed back-row man Ross Sutherland, centres Matt Pollen and Marcus Broad, and hooker Andy Nash into their squad for the new campaign.
However, young prop Tom Concu is ruled out for the 20-mile trip over the county border with a knee injury.
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