It was the one that got away last November at Port-e-Chee, when Douglas let slip a 26-23 lead with four minutes left on the clock against Bowdon in Regional Two North West.

The return in Cheshire this weekend will be another tester, as Bowdon try to recover second place after tripping up at Crewe & Nantwich and allowing Waterloo to take up the chase of eight-point leaders Birkenhead Park.

The good news for Douglas is the return of Harry Hewson to the squad and, after a three-week break the physio couch has been given a breather.

Owen Carvin returns to front-row duty, with Oli and Jo Corkish and Rob Todd providing solid cover on the bench, and Ralph Clarke steps in to second row alongside the improving Conor Garland.

Simon Hoddinott is possibly in the best nick of his career to date as London Marathon training continues and, although Liam Kirkpatrick is unavailable, James Good and Angus Wheeler are real bolters beside skipper Blake Snell in the backrow.

Cal Dentith is back after a mandatory rest and Sam McCord will relish the challenge at full back where a roaming brief could really upset the Bowdon applecart.

With two games in hand on Whitchurch in seventh, Douglas have plenty of incentive in the next three rounds to make inroads.

With successive home matches on March 9 and 16 against Kirby Lonsdale and Crewe & Nantwich to come, the two-point margin to Whitchurch may be within reach.

Douglas squad: Simon Hoddinott, Jack Loughnane, Owen Carvin, Ralph Clarke, Conor Garland, Angus Wheeler, James Good, Blake Snell (cap), Kyle Martin, Luke Hyland, Harry Hewson, Shay Waterworth, Wilf Kermode, Callum Dentith, Sam McCord, Oli Corkish, Jo Corkish, Rob Todd.

TONY WILSON-SPRATT