Old Mutual Douglas made amends for the October reversal at Wigan by taking the try bonus point win at Port-e-Chee. Both teams made light of poor conditions underfoot to register six tries, with Karl Evans bursting over from a great support line to set the Douglas ball rolling after 15 minutes. Luke Hyland’s conversion for 7-0 and Douglas comfortable in the tight kept Wigan on the back foot, and scrum-half Dion Spice was an additional thorn in the visitor’s side. After 28 minutes, Ben Webb struck for Douglas after Will Cain and Shaun Wylie created space down the left for 12-0. Wigan manufactured a response via a Rees Morgan seven-pointer after a rare wayward line-out put Douglas under pressure, but two scores before half time put Douglas back in charge. Lance Wylie from number eight ripped chunks out of Wigan’s defence with charging runs and Hyland banged over a penalty when Wigan erred at a ruck. Scott Goodall made an unexpected return at full-back and belied his lack of game time by darting over for 22-7 at the break.
KWC master and ex-boxer Dom Winrow regularly put Wigan ball carriers into reverse, and Akkie Van Den Berg picked up the pieces for a try at 50 minutes to which Hyland added the extra’s for 29-7. Wigan’s charging reply brought momentary consolation with a try on 65 mins for Nick Constance, but Douglas were coasting at 29-12 with the bonus point wrapped. Chris Bollen was replaced by Noel Capewell as a precautionary measure, and Craig Magee off the bench for Nick Hughes simply added to Wigan misery. 18 year-old debutant Will Archer proved a merited selection on the right wing, prop Jareth Mackay avoided a hat-trick of yellow cards to complete a strong 80 minutes at the coal face for the first time with Douglas, and Winrow put in another huge stop to qualify his Man of the Match status. Hyland’s coup de grace 72nd minute penalty after another Lance Wylie rampage was no less than deserved, consigning Wigan to 11th and maintaining 5th for Douglas in this ultra-competitive fourteen team Division One league.
