Fylde Rugby Club’s new floodlights were tested successfully on Monday evening for the first time.

The lights will enable winter games to kick off later on Saturday afternoons and to allow the staging of important representative matches and some other major events.

It was a low key but according to the club, a momentous moment as the 30 odd bulbs on 15 pylons surrounding the all weather 3G pitch, the training pitch and the main pitch gradually brightened in their 10 minute warm-up period and bathed the complex in light.

The lights illumination levels are limited to the minimum standard for national league rugby, in order to meet the requirements of planners and the concerns of neighbours in this residential area.

Many years after the original idea of installing floodlights on the main pitch had been originally rejected by planners, the dream of generations of club players, officials and supporters has been realised.

A few of the bulbs require attention and it is hoped that these will be fixed so that the Fylde v Kendal national league game can kick-off at 3pm on Saturday.

Only if suitable guarantees are made by the contractors and further testing is satisfactory will this kick-off time be confirmed. Otherwise the match will be held at the usual winter time of 14.15.

Club skipper Roger Banks and senior player Martin Wallwork tested out the lights and were impressed.

Director of Rugby Mark Nelson likened the quality to Sale's old ground at Heywood Road or Preston Grasshoppers' Lightfoot Green base.