Vagabonds from Douglas were welcome visitors to play Southport First XV at Waterloo Road last Saturday. The start of proceedings was marked by an impeccable minutes silence observed by players and spectators in memory of the two police women who were tragically killed on duty in Manchester earlier in the week, the exciting drawn game played in an exemplery spirit itself proving a fitting tribute as one of them PC Fiona Bone once regularly played for Vagabonds Ladies when she lived on the Isle of Man.

To add to the poignancy Southport Ladies were scheduled to be flying out to on Sunday to play Vagabonds but the game was postponed and will now be played later in the season.

Back at Waterloo Road the draft ‘Ruck & Maul’ ale sold out for third weekend running, although if everyone present had been as slow as drinking as the Vagabond player celebrating his twenty-first birthday then there well have been some left. It was probably the longest Yard of Ale ever!

After a solid start to the season The First XV now sit comfortably in the top half of the table whilst elsewhere the Second XV excellent win away to the Liverpool University Veterinary School extended their long unbeaten record and secured second place in their league. There was no game for the Thirds.

Big raps for the Junior Colts on Sunday who edged a feisty top-of-the-table clash at home to Littleborough, but completely different fortunes for the thread-bare Senior Colts who are down on their uppers after suffering a third straight defeat this time away to league leaders West Park (St Helens).

THIS WEEKEND

This weekend the First team take the waters, perhaps literally looking at the weather, as they head for the hills to the spa town of Buxton. The home side has endured a wretched start and languish at the bottom but there can be no room for complacency nor for the Seconds and Thirds who enjoy the luxury of being at home to Rochdale and Hoylake respectively (kick offs 3.00pm).

Chairman of Selectors Phil Boland is spoiled for choice and comments
“Southport travel to Derbyshire with a much changed front row and with a youthful look in the main. Opportunities abound these days at first team level and it bodes well for the club that youth will gain experience from now on. In the Seconds Phil Causey makes his first home appearance after the cricket season and Andy Boland brings scrum half experience after being the ‘jack of all trades’ at first team level. The Thirds resume hostilities after a week off”

SQUAD SELECTIONS

1st XV: Buxton (A), Meet TBA, KO: 3.00.p.m.
Astwood Jnr, Baumber, Brain, Critchley, Drescher, Gairn, Hunter, Lang, Mawdsley, McKevitt, McMullen, Walton C, Webb, Whalen, Riley, Ellis, Caldwell, Smith M
2nd XV: Rochdale 3rd's (H), Meet 1.45.p.m, KO 3.00.p.m.
Astwood Snr, Bailey J, Bailey M, Boland, Capps, Chambers, Fitzpatrick, Green, Holland, Jones A, Monaghan, Pacey, Purnell, Scott-Abbott, Causey, Tees, Woods, Bayliff
3rd XV: Hoylake 2nd's (H), Meet 1.45.p.m, KO 3.00.p.m.
Atherton D, Bailey Matt, Brunskill, Garner-Jones, Griffiths J, Griffiths K, Holden S, Holliwell, Hyde, Roberts, Sheard, Smith T, Spencer, Summerfield L, Summerfield S, Tobin S, White

On Sunday the Senior Colts will hope for better things when they entertain Winnington Park (kick off 2.00pm) whilst the Junior Colts are on the march to Oswestry where they aim to retain their place at the top. The Ladies will be training this week as they build up for their next fixture at home to Crosby St Marys the following Sunday.

MATCH REPORTS (also on team pages)

FIRST TEAM

SOUTHPORT 24 VAGABONDS 24 by our Isle of Man correspondent

Southport came out of the blocks fastest, Olly Brown going under the posts in the opening minutes with a move off the back of a scrum, Jacob McMullen converting. The home side used possession well, playing a territorial kicking game that kept Vagabonds pinned in their own half. It was a deep kick that led to Southport’s second try, with confusion in the goal area when the Manxmens full back thought he had touched the ball down for a five-metre scrum, only for Matty Astwood to pounce on the unattended ball and the try be awarded.

At 12-0 down, Vagabonds finally decided to get off the plane and turn up to the match. With the scrum going forwards and winning turnovers, Vagabonds got some continuity and finally scored when centre Ross McCulloch’s pop found lock Rob Martin waddling with intent on the touchline, fending off the cover defence to score in the corner. Stand-off Jonny Beckley converted to bring the visitors back into the game.
Southport responded with a quick off -loading attack and a well-worked try through Steve Hunter, McMullen adding the extras before Beckley slotted a penalty make it 19-10 at half time.

Both teams were keen to get the first score of the second half, but Southport looked hungrier and a barnstorming run from Astwood caught the Vagabonds defence napping with Joe Mawdesley sweeping up behind him score what looked like the match winning try. McMullen hit the post with his conversion to leave Vagabonds looking at a 24-10 deficit.
They would be the last points Southport would score however, as the Ballafletcher outfit turned the tide. Pressure turned into points as Beckley landed a series of penalties to bring it to 24-19, before McCulloch turned on the afterburners to race down the right wing and touch down to level the score to 24 each. The conversion that would have put Vagabonds in front sailed agonisingly wide, but the Manx side kept the pressure on, hunting for the win in the closing stages. The big home crowd held their breath as Vagabonds were awarded a penalty in the dying seconds, but Beckley’s effort drifted wide, and the resulting draw was a fair reflection of the afternoon’s contest.

(with grateful thanks to Lee Brooks, Vagabonds RUFC)

SECOND TEAM

LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY VETINERARY SCHOOL 0 SOUTHPORT 20 by Ian Smith

The second Team took a trip south to the leafy suburbs of Liverpool to take on the table topping Liverpool University Veterinary Team. Spirits were high with a strong team blending youth and experience. From the kick off Fly Half Phil 'Gloria' Causey hoisted an immaculate kick right into the line of the sun that neither side could see and from the resulting chaos young Forest Bailey seized his chance, kicking through and touching down for a great opportunistic try. Jason Fitzpatrick slotted the 2 points from an awkward angle using the upright to deflect his kick over. The two then combined with elusive running from Forest enabling Fitzpatrick to join the line from fullback for the second score.

As the half progressed the Liverpool team had more and more of the ball with strong running from their captain this was only contained through exemplary tackling from the port midfield with Jordan Caldwell, Martin Bailey and Callum Monaghan all putting in a superb effort, the tackle of the day came from Florist Bailey as he re-arranged his opposite centre with a text book tackle picking up and driving the heavier man back nearly 5 meters before legally bringing him back to earth.

At half time Port utilised the new rolling sub rules to rest the more experienced legs adding Paul Green Giant to the fold adding more pace to the pack along with Daniel Capps who covered every inch of the very wide pitch. This impetuous was needed as the Liverpool side were never going to relent, they came very close only to fumble the final pass and knock on unopposed 2 meters from the line and had they kicked half of their penalties to touch rather than the hands of the two flying wings of Will Scott Abbott and Chris Tees then the result could have been very different.

The opposition were all future veterinary graduates and obviously had a lot of knowledge in identifying members of the Animal Kingdom in identifying the Southport playmaker as a Hippopotamus he took this as a compliment knowing they are the most deadly animal in Africa and drew his 3rd or 4th final breaths to set up a move that span the width of the park to put the powerful running of Chris Tees to best effect as he left his young adversary for dust. Port capped a fine victory off with a late penalty.

Man of the match was a close thing both Caldwell and Bailey making big yardage and yielding a very high tackle count. Tin Man Goes to Veteran Prop Ian Smith for a bone crunching tackle on the oppositions back row only to discover that the player had failed to catch the ball and the referee explained having it hit him in the face does not count as being in possession.

A great win in a game that could have had a much closer score line which lifts the unbeaten second team to 2nd in the table behind a much vaunted Sale team.

SENIOR COLTS

WEST PARK (ST HELENS) 47 SOUTHPORT 8

No match report submitted

JUNIOR COLTS

SOUTHPORT 11 LITTLEBOROUGH 10 by Kevin Rodd

FOUR OUT OF FOUR! The Junior Colts did it again! The battle of the top of the table was closely fought and won by one important point.

Southport dominated the first 20 minutes and after pinning Littleborough in their own half were awarded a penalty after the referee had a word with both captains, but failed to score. The continued pressure paid off, however when Littleborough sliced a clearance from and from the line-out Lewis Scotton forced his way across the line to score the opening try. Unfortunately the conversion was missed. The home side maintained their momentum and when Littleborough had a player sin-binned Billy Nichol scored the resultant penalty. Straight from the kick off, Southport caught the ball and ploughed through the opposition and were awarded another penalty which Billy duly scored. Half time score 11 points to nil.

Although Littleborough came out fighting straight from the kick off most of the play was in their half and just as the game appeared to be petering out they stepped up a gear and forced their way into Southport's territory and gained a scrum on the 5 metre line which led to a try. Although the conversion was missed they had a second chance as Southport's charge was premature. Fortunately they missed again. From the kick off, Boro' charged forward and Southport's defence was not strong enough to prevent a second try to reduce the arrears to a single point. Again the conversion was missed but Littleborough now had all the momentum and continued to press forward. In what seemed an eternity Southport's defence fought hard to repel the determined pressure and Callum Lea saved the day in the last minute with a magnificent tackle on his own try line to prevent the away side scoring what would have been the winning try. Final score Southport 11 - Littleborough 10, a game which fully justified its billing with both sides slugging it out for the bragging rights to sit proudly on top of the league.

Man of the match - Callum Lea for his all-round performance and saving the day!