Douglas Rugby Club ripped up the form book with a performance full of character against Burnage at Port-e-Chee on Saturday afternoon.

The Manx side left the visitors with no league points in what is developing into a mighty mid-table scrap in the Regional Two North West league table.

It was three-all after 15 minutes with penalties from Luke Hyland for Douglas and Pearce Wright for Burnage.

With no sign of any scrum or line-out frailty from either side, Seth Waterworth put his stamp on matters with a 25th-minute try when full back Josh Duncan glided through midfield, winger Guy Barrons whistled up in support and the Douglas forwards marched the head-banded second row over.

Penalties from Hyland and Luca Simmons, the latter revealing another 50-metre cannon in the Douglas armoury, stretched the lead at half-time despite the hosts spurning two more scoring opportunities.

Barrons then showed why ex-Douglas captain Andrew Malpass rated the diminutive winger as he raced away for two second-half tries.

The first was served up by Duncan as the full-back made the two-to-one count and the second from pure speed as the young American erased the Burnage cover.

Coach Phil Cringle brought Robert Todd and Kyle Martin off the bench in response to a Jordan Elphick Burnage score for 26-10 and another surge by Douglas prop Simon Hoddinott teed up Martin for the bonus point try.

Young Douglas back-rowers Wilf Kermode and Angus Wheeler shone throughout and Santander man of the match Barrons was solid in defence too, contributing to the third best defensive stats in the league as Douglas jump to eighth.

Douglas squad:

Owen Carvin, Sean Garland, Simon Hoddinott, Seth Waterworth, Liam Kirkpatrick, Wilf Kermode, Angus Wheeler, Blake Snell (captain), Spencer Cope, Luke Hyland, Luca Simmons, Bradley Bowmar, Guy Barrons, Shay Waterworth, Josh Duncan, Robert Todd, Kyle Martin and Ralph Clarke.