News

Club Shop Is Now Available

For any Kit enquiries or questions about ordering first team replica shirts, Kids shirts, Womens tops please speak to Bryn Snelgrove

2e2 DOUGLAS dispatched newly-relegated Ormskirk comfortably in the opening match of the South Lancashire and Cheshire Division Two season at Port-e-Chee on Saturday, grabbing a bonus point for good measure.

Ormskirk actually took the lead four minutes into the game when Douglas’s new signing, Glyn Hooson-Owen, flopped onto a ruck.

Alex Lambie stroked the resulting penalty over the Douglas bar for a 3-0 lead, but from then on it was one-way traffic in the opposite direction.

Douglas opened their account in the 12th minute. A succession of penalties inside the Ormskirk half gave them great field position inside the 22. The crash ball was on and Hooson-Owen’s bulk charged at the line.

The defence shuffled inwards and left space outside for Bryn Snellgrove’s distinctly smaller frame to squeeze home and make it 5-3.

The visitors’ defence held firm almost to half-time, but two minutes before the break the dam burst. Douglas, defending inside their own 22, turned over possession and three Snellgove punts later they were deep in Ormskirk territory.

Snellgrove crashed in short of the line and when the quick ball came it was shipped down the blindside where Scott Goodall finished it off.

From the restart, Douglas established good field position. They secured line out ball and with the backs coming onto the ball at full pace, Ryan Maddox sliced through the defence to make it 15-3 at the interval.

Seven minutes into the second half Douglas secured their try bonus point, from a set-piece score.

The pack secured quick clean scrum ball and, when scrum-half Mark Shortland set his backs free, Mike Hebden blasted through the middle to make it 20-3.

A visibly dispirited Ormskirk failed to kick the ball the required 10 metres from the restart. Douglas elected to play it as it fell and, after Mark McGee harassed the defence, the ball broke free and Niall Lilley was the beneficiary, going over for a try to make the game all but safe.

On the half-hour mark, Ormskirk hit back with what was essentially a consolation try.

Prop, Ryan Purcell, swooped on a loose ball and after brushing off two tackles he fed left wing Joe Hodson who went in under the posts. Lambie converted to make it 27-10.

It was Douglas though who had the final word. Hooson-Owen crashed into the heart of the Ormskirk defence and when the ball was shipped wide, number eight Niall Killey was on hand to bag his second of the day. Skipper Goodall converted to leave the final score 34-10.

2E2 Douglas Rugby Club take to the field this week for the first fixture of the new season against somewhat of an unknown entity in the form of visiting side Ormskirk. Douglas have not faced Ormskirk in recent times so don’t have too much to go on when it comes to the game plan. Over the last season however Douglas have grown together as a squad and last year’s successes were based on solid home performances such that Douglas remained unbeaten on home turf. With last year’s promotion push going down to the final weeks and the subsequent Manx Cup triumph over their bitter rivals Vagabonds, there is a lot of confidence within the home team dressing room.

New skipper ‘Great’ Scott Goodall will be looking for more of the same from the team inherited from outgoing former skipper Ryan Maddox. Douglas have been busy in the pre-season adding to their ranks with the signings of Glyn Hooson-Owen, Daryn Thompson and Sam Peel. These players coupled with the returning travellers Bryn Snellgrove and Stephen Tansell means that Douglas have added some physicality, experience and guile to their ranks. This has meant that Goodall has been able to select a strong squad not too dissimilar from the cup final winning side and is hoping to get the season off to a flyer.

This young and confident side will look to take the game to their opponents and are fully aware that last year’s successes do not guarantee anything. Great Scott is under no illusions about facing a recently relegated side and knows that Ormskirk will be a formidable outfit and will not have travelled to the Isle of Man to roll over and let Douglas have everything their own way. The same hard work, discipline and defensive application that was apparent last year will be needed once more if Douglas are to impress themselves as promotion contenders once again.

Kick-off is 3pm at Port-e-chee and all are welcome and encouraged to attend in what will hopefully be a fine start to the rugby season.

2e2 Douglas have defeated arch rivals Vagabonds in a thrilling BSM Manx Cup Final at Port-e-Chee.

They triumphed 26-25 in an end-to-end game which had everything.

A late Scott Goodall penalty clinched the silverware for Douglas against their old foes Vagabonds who battled bravely, despite the dismissal of Kevin Birchall early in the second half.

After Luke Purdy gave Vagas an early lead, Goodall and Johnny Beckley penalties cancelled each other out.

A penalty try through Goodall again levelled the scores for Douglas before Ryan Windell restored Vagas’ lead and Beckley added the conversion.

A Callum Carine try in first half stoppage time meant the sides went in 15-15 at the break.

There was no let up to the pace in the second half with Douglas taking advantage of Vagabonds’ numerical disadvantage with another Goodall penalty.

Vagas dug deep with Akkie van der Berg crashing down to give them the lead only for Andy Evans to put Douglas back in front.

Mark Howarth again put Vagabonds in the lead only for Goodall’s last-gasp penalty to conclude a stirring contest and clinch the silverware and a third straight win over Vagabonds.