Vagabonds took the spoils in the big rugby game at Ballafletcher on Saturday, beating Ramsey 21-10 in the pair’s league and cup double-header.

The game was tightly contested for the first hour, with Vagas playing a much smarter game in the final 20 minutes for a deserved win.

As expected in a derby game there was an explosive start. Vagas’ skipper Dan Bonwick marked his return from injury with a big run but in the process his side lost fullback Theo Head to injury with only two minutes on the clock.

After Ramsey had weathered the early storm, they started to string some passes together and this was to prove their early undoing.

Vagas stand-off Jack Cutts read the move perfectly and he raced out of the defensive line and intercepted. With Ramsey committed to attack, there was nobody at home and Cutts ran in under the posts to score. Cam Findlay converted for a 7-0 lead.

Ramsey hit back quarter of an hour later. Will Millsopp made some yards down the right wing Ross Quayle then crashed into the Vagas defence and presented quick ruck ball. The Kneale brothers Scott and Kieran combined in midfield and engineered an overlap on the left for Brayden Roche to score.

Just before half-time the northerners snatched the lead. They were awarded a penalty inside the Vagas 22 and gambled with a kick to the corner. Josh Corteen claimed the lineout and his forwards settled in for a drive to the line.

The Vagas defence held the drive but Conor Cracknell launched from the back of the maul and, with Ben Hardman adding some horsepower, they broke through the cover with Cracknell getting the score and a 10-7 half-time lead.

In the second half Ramsey carried on where they left off, but time the Vagas defence was up to the job. Jake Richmond and Roche were both denied down the left flank, while Will Millsopp was kept quiet on the right.

Twenty minutes in, Vagas finally broke the stranglehold. Brendan Kelly made the telling break and his offload was quickly sent wide to the left where Jackson Bowers had a run for the line. He danced through the Ramsey cover to score and, when Cam Findlay converted, Vagas were 14-10 in front.

With a lead to protect, the hosts switched to the smart game. Their set-piece scrummage had been working well and in the final quarter they scrummaged at every opportunity.

Findlay missed a penalty shot with 10 to go but aside from that any penalty was swapped for a scrum and they sucked the life from the Ramsey eight, denying possession and eating up valuable game time.

In the final play of the game, a driving scrum got them close to the Ramsey line and from short range number eight Ed Knight dived in to score. Findlay’s conversion was the final kick of the match.

Douglas Celts were the runaway leaders in the Hartford Homes Manx Shield but Southern Nomads’ 36-19 win at Ballakilley Park narrowed the gap.

Nomads led 26-12 at half-time after tries from Harry Brereton and Alex Maher. Rob Craine and Conor Stephens both added scores before the break when Nomads led 24-12.

In the second half Messrs Craine and Stephens both added their second tries of the game with Mark Young converting one.

RESULTS

Saturday, February 28:

Regional Two North West

Vale of Lune 26-17 Douglas

Counties Three ADM Lancs/Cheshire Minor conference and Manx Cup

Vagabonds 21-10 Ramsey

Hartford Homes Manx Shield

PDMS Southern Nomads 36-17 Douglas Celts