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Douglas aim to banish hoodoo
2E2 Douglas Rugby Club take to the skies this weekend in their first away trip of the season as they travel to the Gentlemen of Moore in an attempt to banish a four-season long hoodoo.
This sleepy corner of rural Warrington has not been the happiest of hunting grounds for Douglas in recent times having not picked up a win there in four seasons and few current players will recall that match where former hooker James Stamp’s half-way line break and side step snatched a win at the death.
Douglas have had a week off while Moore were on the receiving end of a heavy defeat against Douglas’ opening weekend opponents. However anyone in sport will tell you that a result ‘on paper’ does not make it a formality. Moore will be looking to bounce back and according to their website they are expecting to win in front of the home crowd.
This has served to fuel Douglas’s ambition after they put in a fabulous first match performance last time out and showed little of the fabled pre-season rustiness. Douglas were clinical in attack and in defence they were organised and disciplined, harassing a good Ormskirk side into making errors.
There have been a few changes to the line-up this week which has in no way weakened it, showing the depth of the squad available and the selection headaches that Scott Goodall surely welcomes. James Lidgett and Conor McCaughan are promoted from the bench after impressing last time out.
Nick Horsthuis makes his season debut and Douglas are hoping his form from the tailend of last season will continue where the 6 foot 5 inches, 16-stone powerhouse scored four tries in two games.
The Douglas bench this week is a testament to the depth within the squad with Stephen Tansell, Daryn Thompson and Mark McGee completing the bench, offering Douglas what is probably their strongest bench in recent seasons.
Douglas are in a confident mood and know that if they play with the same physicality and intensity as they did in their opening fixture then they will take some beating.
But take nothing away from the Moore outfit, they will have a lot to say about this result come Saturday and Douglas should not take them lightly if they plan on bringing the points back to Port-e-Chee.
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Weather for Isle of Man
Sunday 19 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: North west
