It’s been a tough season for Vagabonds in Counties Three ADM Lancs/Cheshire.

Just to make it worse, their penultimate fixture as they struggle to avoid finishing bottom is against league leaders Hoylake who until last week had remained unbeaten all season.

Vagas have a total of 14 points. Their nearest rivals are Port Sunlight who have 17.

Both sides have two games to play, with Vagas facing Hoylake and Bury at Ballafletcher and Sunlight facing Bury away followed by Dukinfield at home.

Vagas therefore need at least one win from their two games and they also need Sunlight to pick up no points.

Hoylake won their home fixture 39-0 back in November and there appears to be little prospect of a Vagas reversal. Dan Bonwick may make a difference: he bagged two tries in the away win at Port Sunlight and he also scored for Ramsey against Hoylake this season before his big money transfer to Vagas.

Bonwick has more than 100 league appearances for Ramsey under his belt and could be the catalyst for a Vagas revival.

Vagabonds have a good set of forwards and, if they can secure enough possession, the back line could pull off a shock. Statistically though, this is likely to be a Hoylake win on Saturday.

Vagabonds Ladies

host Halifax

Vagabonds Ladies have three games left of their season in Women’s NC One North West and the first of these is this weekend at Ballafletcher when Halifax visit.

The Yorkshire outfit sit in third place with Vagas in fourth and the two haven’t yet met this season.

Vagas travel to Halifax on April 15 and three wins for Vagas could see them finishing second behind Southport who have dominated this league, but a second-place finish will need other results to fall their way.

Vagas lost out narrowly away at Chester last Saturday but were missing a few regulars. Becky Dunne, Natalie Bush, Corrina Daly and Clara Townsin were all absent from the team sheet and their return would be a big boost to the squad.

Vagas have an excellent record against Halifax and the stats show they have scored more points this season too. Defensively though, Halifax have only conceded an average of 11 points per game while Vagas’ average is closer to 30.

This all points to a Halifax win, but the game could be tight and, with a home crowd backing them, Vagas could have an edge.

One tie in Ravenscroft Manx Trophy

Newly-crowned Manx Shield champions Ramsey will take on the combined forces of Western Vikings and Eastern Barbarians at Mooragh Park in the only Trophy fixture on the card to survive.

The Reds won comfortably in the end against Nomads last week and should have enough in the tank to take the points this week.

Fixtures

Saturday, March 4:

Regional Two North West

Douglas v Winnington Park

@ Port-e-Chee ko 2pm

Counties Three ADM

Lancs/Cheshire

Vagabonds v Hoylake

@ Ballafletcher ko tbc

Women’s NC One North West

Vagabonds v Halifax

@ Ballafletcher ko tbc

Ravenscroft Manx Trophy

Ramsey Reds v Western Vikings & Eastern Barbarians

@ Mooragh Park ko 2.15pm