Douglas 32-20 Hoylake
Old Mutual Douglas had Christmas shopping on their minds for large periods of this Division One match and nearly gift wrapped some league points to visitors Hoylake. A heavy Port-e-Chee surface could be maligned as a great leveller, but the fact the match was played at all given the biblical amounts of rain in recent weeks was tribute to grounds supervisor Jasper Kirkpatrick. Douglas started brightly against a breeze, putting Ben Webb away for a try early on and Dion Spice for a second after half an hour, but Hoylake seized on Douglas apathy with a converted try for Sean Wright and 10-7. Despite an improved scrummage, and Stephen Tansell and Lance Wylie beginning to motor, Douglas still looked out of sorts and Hoylake were sensing an opportunity. Ben Dutnall was an early replacement as Chris Bollen was sidelined, but although Guy Wood burst open the Hoylake defence and Bryn Snellgrove converted shortly before the break for 17-7, the usual Douglas rhythm was absent.
Hoylake number 10 John Parks converted two penalties in 10 minutes for 13-17 before Douglas put some phases together and earned a penalty for Snellgrove to thump over. For a long period it was stalemate, and to the full grandstand of home support it just was not apparent which team was six places or 23 points above the other in the league. Douglas then unloaded Santa’s sleigh for the next 20 minutes and Hoylake gleefully accepted a penalty try and conversion for 20-20 with 10 minutes remaining. Douglas prop Robert Todd came off second best in a heavyweight collision and Bollen was re-introduced to the fray, and the visitors scented more than just losing bonus points under the wrapping. Fortunately for Douglas Akkie Van Den Berg stirred, Dutnall was mighty in the tackle, and Webb cutting down his opposite number fired up a slumbering grandstand. Craig Magee made a long awaited return to the Douglas back-row after injury and contributed to the irrepressible Carl Markyl-Ferns storming over for the bonus point try. Hoylake’s festive hopes of away points were completely dashed when Luke Hyland finished off a sweeping 60-yard move. The 2015 denouement carries Douglas to 6th in the Division, equal on wins with 4th placed New Brighton and a match in hand. If Santa brought the 5 point league deduction under appeal back to Port-e-Chee on the 25th December . . .
