RU: Wilmslow travel to Oldershaw in the third round of the Powergen Intermediate Cup on Saturday after scheduled opponents Wirral were disqualified for fielding ineligible players.
Oldershaw languish one from bottom of South Lancs/Cheshire One, the league from which Wilmslow were promoted last season.
Wilmslow will be looking for a boost this weekend after running table-toppers Altrincham Kersal close in North West Two on Saturday - only to come away with nothing after a 3-8 defeat.
Captain Alex McLennan said: "A good cup run would be a bonus, but we have to concentrate on the league and survival in North Two West."
Driving rain may have drenched last weekend's fireworks parties, but it failed to dampen the spirits of a battered but unbowed Wilmslow.
McLennan called for a show of self-belief last week and on Saturday his team delivered everything but the points on the board.
Coach Steve Swindells said: "It seems to have taken us seven matches to find out we can live in this league.
"We can and should survive. It's just going to take a little more hard work." Skipper McLennan refused to be down-hearted. "I never felt so optimistic after losing so many matches.
"It's there and we can pull it all together. It's just a question of when."
Just one try separated the two sides in appalling conditions last weekend.
Man of the match Jimmy Sweetzer starred at scrum half.
He led sniping runs with number eight Steve Hanson from the base of the scrum and tackled anything and everything in his path.
Wilmslow's second XV play West Park St Helens at Pownall Park on Saturday, kick-off 2.30pm.
Meanwhile, centre Phil Carr is facing a long absence from the Wilmslow Wolves side after breaking his leg.
Skipper Alex McLennan said: "That's all we need right now, but we can deal with it.
"Our thoughts are with Phil. We wish him a speedy recovery, and a win at Oldershaw will help us all."
Wilmslow 3 Atrincham Kersal 8
Winston Churchill defined success as the ability to go from one failure to another without losing enthusiasm.
Wilmslow know exactly where he was coming from.
For despite another defeat, which leaves them languishing just above the basement in North Two West, the Wolves believe that more league points are not far away.
In the pouring rain, Wilmslow's coaching crew saw passages of play that could ignite their season at last.
They took on the best in the league and contained them to a single try and a penalty, Altrincham-Kersal's narrowest victory margin this season.
Flanker Charlie Levings ran and ran at a virtually impenetrable Altrincham defence, stand-in full back Ben Warren fielded a barrage of booming kicks, scrum half Jimmy Sweetzer played out of his skin and centres Phil Carr and Rob Milner were heroic.
Sweetzer surged upfield early in the game, making fully 50 metres only to be scythed down with no-one in support. Unforgiveable.
With 20 minutes gone, the Wolves lost a lineout and the Altrincham pack drove 25 metres to safety. From there they won a lineout close to the try line and number eight Will Harrison drove over (0-5).
The Wolves started the second half well, but failed to capitalise when Harrison was sin-binned for illegal use of the boot in a ruck.
On the hour, Altrincham added to their tally with a penalty from fly half Andy Daldry and despite a powerful finish, an Ian Tyson penalty was all Wilmslow could manage.
