Wilmslow Wolves 45 Douglas (IOM) 24

NOBODY was quite sure what to expect from Douglas (IOM) on their first visit to The Memorial Ground but it soon became evident that Wolves were in little danger of surrendering their unbeaten league record.

They ran in four tries in the first half to lead 24-3 at the break and then shared three tries apiece in the second half of the North One West contest.

At 38-10 with about 10 minutes remaining the game was effectively won.

Although two late tries from the Manx men put a gloss of respectability on the final score, it was never going to change the outcome.

Wolves had been expecting a serious challenge from newly promoted Douglas (IOM), who had achieved two solid home wins against Warrington and Northwich.

Reports had indicated that the Manx side possessed a chunky pack of forwards so Wolves’ game plan was to put a bit of width, pace and urgency into their play and to keep the visitors’ pack on the move.

On a benign early autumn afternoon on a firm grassy pitch, it worked a treat.

The only misgiving was that Wolves did not ever really get out of cruising mode and even in the face of some curious refereeing decisions the outcome should have been more emphatic than it eventually was.

Wilmslow were on the scoreboard within five minutes when hooker Conor McMurdock broke the Douglas line in his own 22 and scrum-half Sean Street finished off with aplomb.

Douglas landed a penalty after a period of dropped and wayward passes from Wilmslow, who turned their play around by then adding three tries in 15 minutes.

A catch and drive was finished off by prop Jordan Ayrey, Street feinted to pass and then darted through a gap for his second score before number eight Alex Taylor advanced to within a couple of strides of the Douglas line from a lineout to lay the platform for centre Ethan Harding to cash in on acres of space.

The second half started with Wolves captain and talisman Bob MacCallum dislocating his finger and having to leave the field.

Rick Jones shuffled the cards and it did not seem to disrupt Wolves too much, although a pass from Ollie Wilkinson, now at number 10, was intercepted in the build-up to a penalty try being conceded.

Wolves soon hit back and from a five-yard scrum Street broke away before slipping the ball for Alex Taylor to touch down his side's fifth try.

The sixth followed straight from the restart when Street set off again and gave debutant winger Will Maslen a chance to stretch his legs and when the ball was recycled 10 yards short of the Douglas line it gave Rick Hughes the chance to break through. McMurdock added his third conversion from as many attempts.

Douglas winger Nick Brooker, who caused the Wolves defence no end of problems, deservedly got two tries for his side but Wolves still had the last word from a ‘tap and go’ with livewire Street racing through for his hat-trick try.

On Saturday Wilmslow face an awkward test at St Benedicts in Whitehaven.