It was a tale of two halves as table toppers Wigan, travelled to Tyldesley for their ADM Division 2 matchup.
Spring sunshine and good ground gave perfect conditions for running rugby and the stage was set as Tyldesley came out with an intensity that blew Wigan away at times. An impartial observer would be hard pressed to recognise the league leaders as they found themselves 19-0 down after 20 minutes.
Wigan were unable to match the hard running of the home side and it was looking like the Douglas Valley men would be on the end of a hiding as Tyldesley took a 31-0 lead
Wigan found some hope with just moments left in the first half, Danny Cassidy breaking tackles and reaching out to place the ball over the line. Cassidy converted his own score to open the door to an unlikely comeback.
Tyldesley managed to add a penalty before the break and the sides went in at 34-7.
Wigan were read the riot act at half time and came out with renewed vigour. Nathan Butler made a break down the left wing before chipping the ball inside where Danny Cassidy fly hacked the ball towards the try line. An attacking scrum was awarded 5 yards out, as Tyldesley took the ball over the line. It was from the scrum that Wigan put together a set play that saw Riley Dervan hit the line and slice through to score. Cassidy added the conversion to bring Wigan within 20 points.
Tyldesley regrouped and set about winding the clock down at every opportunity. The free flowing rugby of the first half was a distant memory as the home side looked to be clinging on, despite the disparity in the scoreline. Given the opportunity, they took the three points on offer from a penalty and the scores were now 37-14 with 20 minutes remaining.
However, it was Wigan who were now on the front foot. Connor Matthews put in a performance that turned back the years and it was his break that was to lead to the next Wigan score. Matthews break created space for Riley Dervan who beat his man before putting Nathan Butler over to score untouched. Cassidy added the conversion for a 37-21 scoreline.

With 10 minutes remaining, Wigan were piling on the pressure and again found themselves camped in the Tyldesley 22. Cassidy took the ball in close before throwing a flat pass out wide to Butler who went over in the corner. Cassidy’s conversion took the scores to 37-28.
Again Wigan broke the line and looked set to score before Tyldesley cynically brought the Wigan attack to a halt by hauling down a player off the ball. With a player sent to the sin bin the travelling support were crying out for the penalty try but it fell on deaf ears. With the penalty kicked the teams were now within one score with just 3 minutes of play remaining.
Wigan took the ball on straight from the kick off as they looked to complete an unlikely comeback. A Danny Cassidy break left defenders trailing in his wake before he set the fullback and put Zack Barker through. Barker was hauled down over the line and scored, much to the delight of the travelling support. With the scores poised at 37-36, Cassidy had a kick to win the game but the conversion drifted agonisingly wide. Tyldesley hung on for a deserved victory that was won during the opening quarter of the game. Wigan fought back valiantly, falling just short, they can be proud of their efforts to turn the game around.
With a bonus point awarded for 4 tries scored and another for finishing within one score, Wigan leave Tyldesley with a valuable 2 points, made all the more precious by Littleborough’s loss to Southport.
Wigan welcome Bolton to Douglas Valley on the 22nd March for their last home game of the season, before travelling to Southport for the season finale the following week.