SURE Vagabonds secured a second successive bonus-point victory with another seven-try victory in South Lancashire and Cheshire Division Two at Ballafletcher on Saturday.
The firm surface and better than expected weather conditions made for an entertaining game, with Vagas backs and forwards running at gaps and making offloads.
Returning to the midfield after a week’s absence, Ross McCulloch managed a casual hat-trick of tries and stand-off Ryan Windell’s step and pace led him over the try line twice.
Other tries came from lively seven Ross Pulman and solid full-back Michael Oates, with Johnny Beckley- slotting well into the less familiar position of scrum-half - adding five conversions.
But Vagabonds’ old foe, the penalty count, reared it’s head early in the game and Ellesmere Port capitalised by slotting home a kick for a 3-0 lead.
The Ballafletcher side rallied to play a more disciplined game and kept the pace high to stay on top of the visitors.
Lock Chris Neil and number eight Franzy Germishuys put in big performances in the tight. The pack scrummaged well while Christo Roelofse and James Clarke looked dangerous, despite Clarke pulling off the rugby equivalent of missing an open goal in the first half.
Ellesmere Port put together a spell of great play in the middle of the second half, set up shop in Vagas’ 22 and were rewarded with two tries, though the game was possibly out of reach for the visitors by then.
Vagabonds, currently fifth in the league, have managed to pick up 10 bonus points from 12 games which helps compensate for missed chances earlier in the season, as Vagas now aim to put pressure on the top of the table which is looking increasingly close.
This weekend the Manx side will travel away to Oldershaw, who Vagas beat at Ballafletcher a week ago. They will train hard this week to push them on their own turf.