Santander Douglas welcome Widnes to Port-e-Chee in the two sides’ second match of the new Regional Two North West campaign.

Both teams will be looking to improve on opening-round defeats on Saturday.

The weekend’s visitors lost at home to Crewe & Nantwich while Douglas were nilled at Waterloo.

There’s certainly some tinkering for Douglas coach Phil Cringle to consider ahead of the game against the Cheshire side.

Up front not so much, although Carl Markl-Ferns pulled up with an injury last week and will need a fitness test.

New Douglas caps Gihard Visagie and Harry Cartwright settled straight in, and skipper Blake Snell, Ralph Clarke and Liam Kirkpatrick looked lively at Waterloo.

With flanker Mark Oldfield coming up to speed, Richard Bell available and Conor Garland a growing power, the scrum looks steady.

Out wide is where the conundrums may surface, as Harry Hewson returns and Luca Simmons looked to be recovered from injury with a second-half appearance off the bench last Saturday.

The abilities of Brendan Kelly, scrum-half last week, and Josh Duncan at number 10 bring them in to contention elsewhere if only to accommodate Kyle Martin and Simmons nearer the scrum.

Cal Dentith and Charlie Henthorn did enough to stay in contention, and if newcomer James Ross is declared fit, the wherewithal to unleash Sam McCord looks to be in place.

These two sides last met in the 2016-17 season when Widnes won at Heath Road 31-24 November thriller, but as Douglas surged to promotion, the April return fixture at a sodden Port-e-Chee was a comprehensive 27-3 win.

Only the three musketeers Markl-Ferns, Kirkpatrick and Simon Hoddinott remain from the promoted crew, but the odds are on Douglas to ignite their season.

Kick-off is 1pm.

TONY WILSON-SPRATT