Didsbury 22 - 14 Douglas

Didsbury Toc H faced a massive test to their playing squad, having to play cup games on Saturday and Sunday last weekend. The Ford Lane team answered with two hard fought victories.

On Saturday Didsbury welcomed Douglas from the Isle of Man in the national RFU Senior Vase Pool 1. The competition has taken a different format this season with entry determined by the previous season's league position.
Toc H finished 2008-09 as the best placed level-eight team in Lancashire and were nominated by the county as its representative. They will play a minimum of two matches against the best teams from Cheshire (Douglas) and Cumbria (Whitehaven), after which the competition reverts to a knockout format.

Didsbury faced a number of selection problems, with players unavailable due to injury, absence or resting knocks from previous weeks. The team took the field with an unfamiliar looking backline, with five changes from the previous weekend. This unfamiliarity caused a stuttering early display from Didsbury, and Douglas missed a couple of early penalties. After 15 minutes Didsbury began to find their feet and from a good lineout the visitors defence were sucked in leaving space out wide for Dave Hoare to score his 18th try of the season. The conversion was missed in the blustery conditions, and the weather was to have a hand in Douglas taking the lead. A long clearance kick from the islanders was well chased and put fullback Pete Davies in trouble. The loose ball was hacked towards the Didsbury tryline, and the Douglas player touched down first. The conversion was added to leave Didsbury trailing 5-7 heading towards the half time whistle. Didsbury started to force their counterparts back and from a maul close to Douglas’ line, second row Shaun Walker smashed through an attempted tackle to tough down under the posts. Davies duly added the conversion to restore Toc H’s lead to 12-7 at the interval.

Didsbury increased their lead early into the second half, with Davies adding a penalty. Didsbury’s defence was holding the impressive Douglas attacks and when a loose pass from the visitors went to ground James Southall quickly gathered the ball. He managed to hold off a number of tacklers to cap a fine performance with a try. Davies added the conversion to make the lead 22-7. Douglas, clearly a well drilled and committed team, scored a try just before the final whistle. 22-14 final score, but only halfway through the weekends games for Didsbury.