The battle for the Ravenscroft Manx Plate heated up when Emerging Nomads beat Vagabonds Hornets 41-12 at Ballafletcher on Saturday.

Nomads got off the mark in only the fifth minute when Vagas lost Aaron Ledingham to the sin bin and Nomads took immediate advantage. The penalty, only five metres from the Vagas line, was tapped quickly and shipped left where Nathan Page had a clean run in for the opening try.

Five minutes later Page was in for his second. He made the initial line break before Orry Watterson trucked it into the Vagas’ 22 where the ruck ball was clean and fast which allowed Page space to finish off what he’d started. Sean Christian added the conversion for a 12-0 lead.

Cam Findlay missed a long-range penalty to get Vagas into the game but he made amends after 25 minutes when he drilled a grubber kick deep into the Nomads’ 22.

Christian recovered the ball for Nomads but found himself isolated and on the ground. As the ruck formed, the ball popped out and was scooped up by Dylan Chambers who dived in for the try.

Just when they had given themselves a foothold in the game, Vagas hit the self-destruct button and received two yellow cards in the run up to half-time.

With two men missing, the gaps appeared for Nomads and Percy Hampton was soon galloping in for a try from first phase scrum ball. Christian converted for a 19-5 lead. Two minutes before the interval the lead was extended to 26-5 when Gaz Watt was driven over from a tap penalty, with Christian again converting.

Despite being short-handed, Vagas scored in the opening minute of the second half. Ekong Bell broke the gain line and surged into the Nomads half before his offload found wing Phil Bridson and he raced in to reduce the Nomads lead to 31-12.

Midway through the second half, Nomads removed any doubt about the result when they earned a penalty 40 metres out and Christian tapped quickly but was impeded by the defence which earned a further 10 metres.

The second penalty was tapped again and, after Harry Brereton and Watt had both trundled towards the try line, Watterson received quick ruck ball and barged over from close range.

Five minutes later it was Watterson again, this time with a quickly-tapped penalty from five metres out after Vagas received their fourth yellow card of the game.

With the lead at 41-12 the game was done and dusted, but the Vagas discipline problem continued and in the closing stages Tom Rowley and Ledingham were both shown red cards by referee Daryn Thompson.

Results for Saturday, March 26:

North One West

Birkenhead Park 67-0 Douglas

Women’s NC1 North West

Littleborough 32-22 Vagabonds

Ravenscroft Manx Plate

Ramsey B P-P Western Vikings

Vagabonds Hornets 12-41

Emerging Nomads