WHITCHURCH endured a weekend to forget in a 41-14 thrashing at home to Douglas in division two of the North West League on Saturday.

Hope was high after the wonderful derby display against Crewe and Nantwich the previous week and the Reds began the match against the islanders with intent and purpose.

However, Whitchurch began to make simple errors and soon trailed to two penalties.

Douglas gained the confidence that was being lost by the home side and soon celebrated their opening try.

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The conversion was quickly followed by another penalty and the islanders were sailing ahead by 16 points.

The Edgeley Park hosts woke up and applied pressure to the opponents line and after half an hour broke through with Robbie Leighton going over and converting his own try.

A fight back looked on the cards but it was Douglas who scored the next try to close the first half ahead by 14 points.

Whitchurch started the second-half with much more purpose but could not cross the line until the 60th minute when Teddy Ravenscroft finished off a good backs move to score wide out.

A fine conversion by Leighton meant that there was only a score between the two sides and the Reds seemed to be on top.

Douglas defended valiantly and suddenly the home side became an undisciplined rabble throwing out wild passes galore resulting in the visitors picking up loose balls, misguided passes and a host of high tackles to allow their opponents to pick up and run through to score three tries and a conversion.

The final humiliation gifted them a penalty in the 83rd minute and they took it to rise their score over the 40 point mark to leave the home side stunned.

Jordan Davies’ team will now endeavour to pick themselves up ahead of the re-arranged visit of Altrincham and Kersal next week as they bid to regain their lost momentum.