Old Mutual Douglas hosted Premier North side Hull RFC on Saturday in a pre-season match that proved a real tester for both sides.

Mindful that Hull were only two points away from promotion to National League Two last season, Douglas were out of the blocks with real intent. Level at 7-7 after Jo Benn for Hull and Will Cain for Douglas had finished off flowing backline moves and Bryn Snellgrove and Steve Hamms nailed the respective conversions, it was only after 35 minutes that Hull went ahead when Mark Evans plunged over for 7-12.

Lineouts were hotly contested but went mainly with put in, with Paul Leivers and Karl Evans the go-to Douglas jumpers.

Hull, who included former Ramsey prop Mike Dias in thier squad, occasionally got a nudge on in the scrummage, and under the shadow of the Douglas posts John Smith crashed over after 49 minutes for 7-19.

When Douglas ran out of defenders wide on the right, Stu Lemming sprinted over for Hamms to convert and 7-26, but Douglas were matching the Premier side for fitness and player-coach Carl Murray danced away down the left to bring the hosts closer at 12-26.

Two late tries from Ron Broads and Evan Harmer put the kybosh on further Douglas recovery as Hull asserted some authority, and both teams had reason to be pleased at the whistle.

Douglas open their league season against Warrington on September 2 at Port-e-Chee.

TONY wILSOn-spratt