Douglas made up ground on visitors Winnington Park with a passionate, if flawed performance in the only fixture played in the weather-bound division on Saturday.

A strong Douglas start stemmed from solid scrummaging and the Manx side were 12-0 up in 20 minutes at Port-e-Chee in the Regional Two North West clash.

Douglas hooker Jack Laughnane burst over for Luca Simmons to convert and home full back Josh Duncan set up the next position with a glorious 50/22 kick.

Simmons surged through after heavyweight contributions from Seth Waterworth and Blake Snell, and Winnington Park were on the ropes, albeit temporarily.

Park centre Cameron Flanagan dropped a scoring chance after Douglas coughed up possession, but prop Ross Morrin burrowed through when Park went through the lineout and drive handbook. Influential Park out-half Ben Elliott added the extras for 12-7 at the break and put over a 50th-minute penalty for 12-10 as Douglas injuries began to take a toll.

Laughnane took a knock to be replaced with Owen Carvin, while flanker John Dutnall and prop Simon Hoddinott were undergoing running repairs and the home bench was emptied when Kyle Martin and James Good joined the fray.

The Douglas line-out was a victim of the forced positional changes, hence number 10 Luke Hyland’s try after Tevir-sponsored man of the match Waterworth muscled forward for 19-10 returned momentum in the home side’s favour.

The right foot of Simmons and thrusting Kirkpatrick runs kept Park at bay and the try bonus point is a wonderful incentive not to sit on a lead.

Douglas winger Sam McCord started to find space in the Park defence, leading to a 75th-minute try from scrum-half Spencer Cope who tunnelled in to claim a vital extra point.

Elliott’s individual try on 80 minutes to earn Park a losing bonus point exposed a Douglas defence that perhaps had minds on warmer climes.

Douglas squad: Robert Todd, Jack Laughnane, Simon Hoddinott, Seth Waterworth, Liam Kirkpatrick, Blake Snell (cap), Percy Hampton, John Dutnall, Spencer Cope, Luke Hyland, Luca Simmons, Bradley Bowmar, Guy Barrons, Sam McCord, Josh Duncan, Owen Carvin, Kyle Martin, James Good.

Results 

Saturday, December 2:

Regional Two North West

Douglas 24-17 Winnington Park 

Women’s NC1 North West

Vagabonds 0-60 Broughton Park