Douglas Secure Bonus Point Win

After conceding an early try to Winnington Park at Port-e-Chee, Douglas took the game by the throat and scored six scintillating tries.

This put the local club in position to overtake Altrincham Kersal for sixth spot in Regional Two North West.

Douglas Match Report

Park winger Alex De Keyzer raced 45-metres out of defence as Douglas truly fluffed their opening lines, and centre Will Du Randt barrelled over from the next quick phase in the 7th minute after a 30-metre run parted yet more waves.

Lewis Pickering converted for 0-7, but it would be a short-lived lead as Douglas had a semblance of control in the tight and were using the scrum and lineout to good effect.

Instead of kicking for goal, skipper Blake Snell called for a Douglas penalty to be planted in the corner five metres out where the Douglas pack battered the Park line.

After several phases were repelled, centre James Ross cut a simple straight line through the defence remnants to level with Nathan Robson’s conversion.

Out of Territory

Josh Duncan added a second just five minutes later, ghosting through majestically after Owen Carvin and Gihard Visagie ground out the territory, with Robson adding the extra’s for 14-7.

Duncan picked up an injury, bringing Conor Stephens off the bench a lot earlier than intended and moving Robson to outside-half and Kyle Martin to scrum-half.

To their credit Douglas barely lessened the intensity, and the lively Liam Kirkpatrick was the root cause of the next score.

Douglas were deep in their own 22 metre territory and under pressure, but as Park moved the ball wide with numbers to spare, Kirkpatrick picked off the pass.

Away he galloped, a full 40 metres and in to Park’s half before the cover got to him, but Harry Hewson had tracked him in support and provided the link to winger Cal Dentith to finish under the posts.

Bonus Point For Douglas

A 21-7 scoreline at the break was stretched further when Harry Cartwright surged past the WP defence in midfield, and Craig Martin was almost in on the left wing but for a full stretch last ditch tackle from WP winger James Wilkinson.

A quick thinking Visagie lineout caught Park napping, and Snell drove over in the corner for the try bonus point.

Richard Bell and Conor Garland re-enforced the Douglas effort up front from the bench, and when another flawless Douglas lineout via Kirkpatrick saw Hewson put sponsors Robinson’s man of the match Ross soaring in for his second score at the 50th minute, you felt Park’s number was well and truly up.

Openside

To their credit Park didn’t think so, and Anthony Hopley’s 55th-minute try after openside Matthew Tracey had split open the field was a cautionary reminder.

As Park began to throw caution to the wind in search of at least bonus points, Hewson stepped up for an interception try which Robson converted for 38-14.

And with the final whistle, news that Altrincham Kersal lost at Sandbach.

The final score was Douglas 38 – 14 Winnington Park.