Derbyshire side Glossop travel to Port-e-Chee this Saturday for the first time since 2017 when Douglas were on a promotion rampage in Lancashire/Cheshire Division One.

That February visit resulted in a comfortable home win, the runaway train that was Max Singer having a say.

While Glossop took three years via North Two West promotion in 2020 to join Douglas in North One West, the Manx side have enjoyed the extra challenges that level six rugby brings.

Glossop arrive having not won a league match since hosting Bowdon on November 20, yet their good start to the season yields a midfield league position of seventh.

At their Charlesworth base, Glossop won 45-24 in the reverse October fixture after Douglas established a 12-17 lead, and on the road Glossop have beaten Wilmslow and Broughton Park on the way to a won eight, drawn one and lost six record.

Douglas welcome back Seth Waterworth and Niall Killey to a side who came close to retrieving a result against Manchester last week. Up front Owen Carvin and Simon Hoddinott were the pick of the bunch, with Blake Snell and Carl Markl-Ferns hard on their heels.

Glossop’s industrial units will need moving around and Harry Swayne, Luke Hyland, Harry Hewson, Charlie Henthorn and Will Cain have the skills to do so.

One of the key components is unleashing the pace of Kyle Martin. Just when a Manchester defender last week thought the touchline was his friend, Martin’s step and gas down the narrowest corridor decided otherwise.

Douglas, in 12th with games in hand, have the firepower but Glossop will bring a much stronger challenge than 2017.

Squad from: Simon Hoddinott, Robert Todd, Carl Markl-Ferns, Owen Carvin, Ralph Clarke, Nick Hughes, Harry Raven, Niall Killey, Seth Waterworth, Blake Snell, Karl Evans, Wilf Kermode, Will Cain, Luke Hyland, Harry Swayne, Shay Waterworth, Kyle Martin, Harry Hewson, Charlie Henthorn, Craig Martin.