Old Mutual Douglas shrugged off late team changes and changeable conditions in Merseyside to notch up win number six in Cheshire/Lancashire South Division One. Using the wind behind them, Douglas controlled possession and after 20 minutes put flanker Nick Hughes over in the corner. Bryn Snellgrove banged over the touchline conversion for 0-7, only for Collegiate to respond with a penalty for offside. Pressure from Douglas with Will Cain and Shaun Wyllie bossing midfield put Snellgrove in range from half way and he duly thumped over three points for 3-10. Collegiate struggled with the high ball in the wind, and allied to ruthless Douglas kick and chase coughed up a Snellgrove penalty after 30 minutes. Collegiate responded with a penalty shortly before the break and 6-13.
Douglas changed tactics against the wind after the break and Stephen Tansell and Carl Markyl-Ferns targeted the breakdown with authority, while Collegiate line-outs were a liability for the home side. A Douglas penalty kick to the corner and line-out gave Hughes control at the back of the maul and when Dion Spice broke wide, Wyllie picked a thundering line to crash over. Snellgrove’s conversion for 6-20 had the visitors in command, but fresh legs off the bench gave home impetus and an offload under the posts for the Collegiate hooker closed things up to 13-20. Fittingly Douglas had the last say with Karl Evans off the bench powering up the Douglas defence and Snellgrove nailing a final three pointe
Paul Snellgrove travelled as team manager and kept the pot boiling nicely while Tom Waterworth took a well-earned respite. The Douglas form at present is promising, even with a shed load of unavailabilities like Dan Creer, Craig McGee and Niall Killey through injury. The visit of Liverpool St Helens next Saturday is keenly anticipated.
