Douglas RUFC lost at third-placed Vale of Lune in Regional Two North West on Saturday.

With only five rounds of the regular season remaining, points opportunities towards the play-offs are becoming scarce.

The much-changed Douglas side made a blistering start and took a fifth-minute lead.

An accurate and perfectly-weighted grubber put centre Matty Wood in to dot down untouched, converting his own try for 0-7.

The playing surface was soft underfoot and Vale struck back when centre Jamie Mayall darted through after fullback Sheldon Higgins lost his footing. Harry Finan added the extras for 7-7.

From a kick to the corner, a Vale lineout-and-maul drill sucked in the Douglas defence and took flanker Sam Walton over for the try. Finan converted for 14-7 before a carbon-copy move, Walton again the recipient, stretched it to 19-7.

Douglas dished out their own forwards move in a strong start to the second half. A penalty to the corner and the lineout produced a training ground move, prop Simon Hoddinott crashing over. The conversion missed but it was a foothold at 19-12.

Larson returned but his yellow card for a high tackle reduced Douglas to 14 as the breakdowns were fiercely-contested.

Vale broke down the left, leaving Wood to scamper back and concede a five-metre scrum opportunity. Vale No.8 Sam Wallbank drove over after several phases for the close-quarter try and 26-12 but was then yellow-carded for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The penalty from halfway put Douglas in range and a clearance was hoovered up by Higgins down the blindside. He linked with Josh Duncan 30m out and, although his path seemed blocked, he found the key.

A shimmy inside one man then acceleration to beat a second with sheer strength and determination saw Douglas back in the hunt at 26-17.

They rediscovered their offloading in contact for the remaining five minutes, but not soon enough to rescue any league points.