The second round of the Manx Cup rugby competition takes place this Saturday with two fixtures.

Douglas Celts play Ramsey at Port-e-Chee, while Vagabonds face up against Southern Nomads at the Field of Dreams.

Douglas will probably have a tough job against Ramsey. The Celts held Vagabonds to a 12-7 half-time lead a fortnight ago before a spectacular second-half collapse which saw them ship 64 unanswered points after the break.

Much will depend on who does or does not make the trip to Bowdon with the first team and so it’s possible that the Celts may have some non-travellers.

Skipper Conor McCaughan had a little cameo for Emerging Nomads last week and seems to have overcome his ’man flu’ successfully, so his presence in the back row will be just what his side needs.

Ramsey have a few injury significant issues: scrum-half Dan Richmond and stand off Tom Moffatt both remain out with injury, therefore Dan Bonwick is likely to fill in at 10 with perhaps Danny Howard taking the scrum-half role which he is growing into with every game.

At Ballakilley Park, Nomads versus Vagabonds is probably the pick of the round.

Nomads hassled and harried Ramsey two weeks ago and are feeling a little more confident in themselves. Percy Hampton ran in two for the seconds last week and will no doubt play a part in this game.

But Vagas, with a combination of youth and experience, were ruthless against Douglas. Youngsters Cole Donnelly and Callum Murray both played their parts, especially late in the game when tired Douglas legs left running room on the pitch.

The formbook points to a Vagabonds win, but Nomads will make a game of this.

Fixtures

Saturday, February 5

North One West

Bowdon v Douglas @ Bowdon ko 2.15pm

Women’s NC1 North West

Vagabonds v Broughton Park

@ Ballafletcher ko 12pm

Ravenscroft Manx Cup

Douglas Celts v Ramsey

@ Port-e-Chee ko 2.15pm

PDMS Southern Nomads v Sure Vagabonds

@ Ballakilley ko 2.15pm