Vagabonds and Ramsey rugby clubs both hit the road this Saturday in Counties Three ADM Lancashire/Cheshire.

The former head for Ashton-under-Lyne, while Ramsey go a bit further north to Colne & Nelson.

Vagas and Ashton are no strangers: they’ve met four times and are two apiece in the win column.

The most recent meeting was in March this year though, with Vagas losing out 62-14.

The new season has only seen the sides play two or three games apiece, with Vagas losing both and Ashton claiming one win from three.

Vagas will likely be without prop Joe Louw and the shuffle around to cover this could affect their front-row which is usually a strong point.

Cam Findlay had a trot with Western Vikings last Saturday and was excellent. He scored one and kicked three conversions in a very difficult cross wind. His availability will be important for Vagas and, paired up with Dan Bonwick at half-back, will form a formidable axis.

Ramsey felt a little unlucky after an opening defeat at Congleton but were blown away at Bury the following week when a wedding disrupted things.

Things should be better this week and with Colne also struggling with no points at the foot of the table, things could be a lost closer than the 116-0 Bury result.

Adam Dunlop’s availability will be important for Ramsey. He offers stability in the set piece and can get around the park a bit too, to offer something else in broken play. Skipper Josh Corteen and his partnership with fellow back-rower Matt Meechan are also important for the squad.

There is also a game in the Hartford Homes Manx Shield on Saturday where Douglas Celts host Southern Nomads at Port-e-Chee.

Douglas won the first match up so the Port Erin outfit will want some payback.

But they were a few players short last week with some Douglas men filling the gaps. I don’t expect to see such philanthropy this week though.

Nomads had some great interplay going forward. Mark Young was using his full bag of tricks at 10 and when they ran out he was using Dick Seed as a human battering ram.

Captain Finn McGregor was his competent self and the player formerly known as ‘Big’ Ste McHugh is now ‘Little’ Ste McHugh following some big weight loss and he showed that there’s more to his game than smashing the ball up in a straight line.

Nevertheless Douglas have a formidable squad with quite a few players fringing on first-team spots.

George Antill in particular caught the eye last week in a brief cameo for Nomads and he’ll want to put his hand up for higher honours.

Fixtures: Saturday, October 11

Regional Two North West

Douglas v Winnington Park @ Port-e-Chee ko 1.30pm

Counties Three ADM Lancashire/Cheshire

Ashton-Under-Lyne v Vagabonds @ Ashton ko 1pm

Colne & Nelson v Ramsey @ Colne ko 3pm

Hartford Homes Manx Shield

Douglas Celts v PDMS Southern Nomads @ Port-e-Chee ko 1pm

DAVE CHRISTIAN