EAST Essex Sabres head coach Lee Joseph was delighted to lead his side to their first win of the British American Football Association League Division Two East season.

The Sabres are currently enjoying their first campaign at this level.

And Joseph admitted that the 24-17 victory over Ipswich Cardinals, which saw them move off the foot of the league table, was a special moment.

Joseph said: “This win was pretty big for me.

“The main reason is that most of the guys are new to the sport and 90 per cent of the team had never played league football before.

“So for these guys to learn their individual role, work together as a team, learn the game and deal with injuries in such a short space of time is amazing.

“To put this team together, gain entry into the league, compete and narrowly lose a couple of games within the final minute on the last play, keep working hard and win in our first few games is huge.

“All the credit for the win and the growth of the team must go to the players themselves and the coaching staff I have working with them.

“They are the people that are driving this team forward.”

The Sabres travelled to Ipswich having lost their first five games of the season.

But Joseph confirmed that he did not worry about his players losing confidence during the winless run.

The head coach added: “We lost the first two games of the season inside the final minute and felt robbed.

“Since those two games we felt very frustrated with how our season has progressed but we kept working hard and tried to stay focused on getting that first win.

“I have to say that although we suffered two big losses as far as the scoreline was concerned, we never felt completely dominated by those teams.

“In American Football, one player could make an error and it could cost the team by conceding eight points in a heartbeat.

“This is something the players have to learn, but they are working hard in each practice session.

“I didn’t have to worry if their heads would go down because every player on this team wants to win.”