Bowdon escaped from Port-e-Chee with a full-house of points to maintain their promotion push after a 76th-minute score on Saturday.

But it was close run thing as a 10-20 half-time scoreline included two Douglas tries out of the top drawer. Centre, Aidan O’Shea, rifled a 15th-minute cross-kick to pick out Douglas right winger Sam McCord who took the ball in full flight, and his inside pass to Kyle Martin sent the rapid Douglas full-back scorching over.

Four Bowdon tries in 30 minutes darkened Douglas prospects, but when Luke Hyland dotted down after another dominant Douglas scrummage, key to the result revolved around a Douglas pack with Simon Hoddinott and the McGee brothers outstanding.

Owen Carvin limped off with what was later diagnosed as a leg fracture, and Phil Cringle’s introduction to the front-row only added to Bowdon’s discomfort.

Bryn Snellgrove conjured up a second-half 50/20 bomb to establish territory, and despite the Douglas lineout misfiring again, Craig McGee picked up to score as the Douglas scrum heaved the heavier Bowdon eight backwards.

Two Bowdon tries didn’t dampen Douglas conviction, and Snellgrove served up a try-saving tackle before Tel’s-sponsored man of the match McCord made yet another burst to usher Martin over for his second and the try bonus-point at 24-32.

Hyland’s scoring twist and turn for 29-32 with five minutes left put two Douglas bonus points on the table until Bowdon’s late response snatched one away, but the hard-earned remainder could yet prove invaluable.

Douglas: Owen Carvin (rep Cringle 25m), Robert Todd (cap), Simon Hoddinott, Conor Garland, Ralph Clarke, Craig McGee, Mark McGee, Percy Hampton, Luke Hyland, Bryn Snellgrove, Jack Shimmin, Aidan O’Shea, Brendan Kelly, Sam McCord, Kyle Martin, Thomas Coleman, Phil Cringle, Toby Poole-Wilson.