Having narrowly lost to league leaders Wirral at home last week, Douglas are back on their travels with a visit to Congleton. This should hopefully prove to be the ideal tonic as Congleton currently lie bottom of the league having failed to earn in a point in seven league outings to date.

The Douglas side and supporters were fairly down after last weekends performance as the club had the chance to leapfrog to the top of the league. In the cold light of day when the proxac had worn off the defeat and performance was probably not as bad as first felt as Wallasey have by far the best defensive record in the league and really it was Douglas’s failure to break through this that cost them the game. However part of the enjoyment from sport comes from the winning and if defeat does not hurt then there is no incentive to improve. The hurt is there as the Douglas players know they have dropped three points at home this year to side they could have beaten. That is the difference between being top of the league and lying just behind the promotion places.

 I do though expect Douglas to bounce back this weekend as their set plays are solid and individually they have pace and skill in the backs. Douglas are also the Charlton Athletic of the league with a better away record this year than home. Congleton in turn are solid but have struggled to score points and this appears to be their downfall as defensively they are not haemorrhaging points. Provided Douglas start strongly and get on top then they should run out winners. What they can not do afford to do is let Congleton into the game as has been many times in the World Cup the lesser sides are always dangerous until the chance of a victory & the confidence is knocked out of them.

Douglas will not be at full strength this week as Dave Wood, and Seb Journneau aggravated injuries against Wallasey & will be out for at least a couple of weeks. They are likely to be replaced in the back row by Noel Capewell & Richard I am too good looking and old to still play in the front row Forster. Martin Higgins should come in at prop. Chris Darnill and John Hill are also unavailable which I feel they might regret from a quick look at Congelton’s web site advertising their girlfriends and women’s rugby calendar. Alternatively this may be the reason they are unavailable and I will check for thumb prints on their foreheads next week. Whilst John Hill’s physicality around the base of the pack will be missed Steve Fox-Hulme is more than an able deputy albeit in a more classical style.

With two of the three sides above them playing this week this is an ideal opportunity for Douglas to Close the gap and I expect them to take it. They then have two home matches with which to try & consolidate. Once of these is against Manchester Wanderers the form side in the division but if they can pick up maximum points from these three games then the league would be wide open again.