After a weekend off, Vagabonds hit the road to Thornton Cleveleys this Saturday chasing that elusive first win this season in Counties Three ADM Lancs/Cheshire.

Vagas go into the game in bottom position and are five points adrift of nearest rivals Port Sunlight.

Cleveleys have won four from their last five including an impressive away win against Garstang on December 3 and they won 24-0 at Ballafletcher in the corresponding fixture against Vagas.

With fellow strugglers Port Sunlight away at Old Bedians, this is an ideal chance for Vagas to close the gap but analysis of the stats suggests it may not be their day.

They are scoring on average less than 10 per game but the sight of three losing bonus points in their tally indicates that they’re not too far away from winning matches, although this week is probably not the game to be targeting.

The Vagas pack is capable of holding its own in most set pieces but they just aren’t providing enough ball for the young back line to prosper.

Cam Findlay will kick his goals for sure, but what’s really needed is tries.

Mark Oldfield has been in good nick in the forwards and, if he’s fit and available, it will boost the squad but is unlikely to yield match points which are desperately needed right now.

Manx Trophy continues

The new Manx Trophy competition has only one fixture on the card this weekend.

The game in question is at Ballakilley Park where Nomads Whites take on Ramsey Blues and Western Vikings.

Eastern Barbarians had also been scheduled to host Castletown and Ramsey Reds at Port-e-Chee, but this game has now been postponed.

Reds and Vikings sit jointly at the top of the standings after two rounds. The latter had a big win at QEII last week, likewise the Reds at the Mooragh.

Vikings’ scores came from right across the squad, while Ramsey’s points machine Brandon Atchison picked up four on his own.

Linking up with a few Ramsey Blues should give Vikings a little more firepower this week and, with no game for the Greens, Nomads will be a little stronger too which all makes for a good contest at Ballakilley.

Fixtures

Saturday, January 28:

Regional Two North West

Birkenhead Park v Douglas

@ Birkenhead Park ko 2.15pm

Counties Three ADM Lancs/Cheshire

Thornton Cleveleys v Vagabonds ko tbc

Ravenscroft Manx Trophy

ko 2.15pm

Southern Nomads Whites v Ramsey Blues and Western Vikings @ Ballakilley

Eastern Barbarians P-P Castletown & Ramsey Reds @ Port-e-Chee