The consolation of two league bonus points certainly won’t gloss over the end of a Douglas Rugby Club’s record-winning run in Regional Two North West at West Park St Helens on Saturday, but perhaps the manner of the loss will.

Without four key players and having numerous positional alterations thrust upon them mid-game actually highlights the value of two precious points away from home when not at your best.

The West Park pack dominated the opening exchanges in the set-piece, although Douglas missed a penalty chance to go ahead.

When Park set up camp in Douglas territory, the sustained pressure built and fly-half Ryan Littler converted a penalty for 3-0.

A short-side attack led to Park flanker Jack Tunstall crossing the line for an 8-0 score line after 20 minutes, and things weren’t improving for the Manx side at the scrum.

Douglas coach Phil Cringle brought on Conor Garland to beef up the eight and their first real foray into Park territory came good.

Scrum-half Nathan Robson took a quick tap penalty, Matty Wood carried and Liam Kirkpatrick split two defenders to rumble over wide out.

Robson really put a spring in the Douglas step with the conversion and 8-7, but then one missed tackle undid all the good work by the Manx side.

Park winger Sam Westhead skipped clear of the Douglas cover to score near the posts and Littler’s conversion stretched the lead to 15-7.

The visitors came back straight from the 38th-minute restart as Robson caught the ball at speed and fed supporting flanker Blake Everson on his shoulder. His pace took him within a few metres of the Park line and Josh Campbell arrived to burrow his way over at the base of the post.

Robson converted for 15-14 at the break, but the islanders struggled to find their concluding first-half mojo in a calamitous opening 10 minutes of the second period.

West Park lock Jake Hawkins and centre Oscar Hardman scored tries, one converted by Littler for 27-14, to seemingly take the result away from Douglas as the visitors misfired and lacked their usual decisiveness in attack.

That changed when the Douglas lineout in West Park trenches churned out a powerful maul, enough to surge over the line with Everson at the helm to score a 56th-minute try. When John Dutnall crashed through from close range for the bonus point try four minutes later, Robson converting both, Douglas were one point ahead at 27-28 and looking nearer their former selves.

Zac Wickman off the bench for Craig Martin and then a further re-jig as Harry Wallis made a league debut replacing Owen Carvin - which saw Garland move up to the front-row and Harry Cartwright return to the pack - didn’t help Douglas continuity.

Robson found himself moved to the centre and the final five minutes saw a long-range West Park penalty go wide before Littler’s drop-goal attempt fell short, as it seemed the fabled Manx defence would hold on for an unlikely result given all before.

Then an offside decision in the last moments gave Littler a penalty kick chance for redemption from 30 metres. He slotted the points nervelessly for 30-28 to leave Douglas in fourth, two points off leaders North Ribblesdale with a game in hand.

Douglas squad: Simon Hoddinott, Josh Campbell, Owen Carvin, Ethan Kermode, Kudzai Chenda, Blake Everson, Liam Kirkpatrick, John Dutnall, Nathan Robson, Matty Wood, Harry Cartwright, Jack Wallis, Craig Martin, Oli Corkish, Kyle Martin, Conor Garland, Zac Wickham, Harry Wallis.

RESULTS

Saturday, December 6:

Regional Two North West

West Park (St Helens) 30-28 Douglas

Counties Three ADM Lancashire/Cheshire

Dukinfield 26-8 Ramsey

Vagabonds 21-43 Bury

Hartford Homes Manx Shield

Western Vikings 22-66 Douglas Celts