Ramsey travel to Ellesmere Port on Saturday in Lancs/Cheshire 1 for their final fixture of 2019, a year which started well but hasn’t quite ended as in the same way. At the turn of the year the club were in pole position for winning their first championship since joining in 2008 and indeed took the title. A league restructure however meant that some of the opposition was stronger than anticipated. On top of that losing Mark Oldfield, Anthony Fergusson, Fintan Cummins and skipper Henry Swithinbank plus university commitments for Adam Dunlop and Harri Radford and family commitments for Dan Bonwick, left the title winning team a little thin on the ground. They head into the Christmas break in bottom position in the league.

On the plus side, Rory Nicholson has been in excellent form and youngsters Dan Richmond, Conor Goodall, Steve & Kieran Kneale and Harry Parsons are all stepping up to the plate and Nathan Hinks has settled in well at hooker. Bonwick and Dunlop have returned for home and away games respectively and in recent weeks hooker come wing Chris Hardisty has been outstanding. Home results have been largely positive affairs and there have been a few games where a win was close. This season’s split league affair may give Ramsey a better chance after the league splits in February.

This week’s trip to Ellesmere Port will be tough too. Port definitely looked beatable at the Mooragh but they’re tough away. John F Watling and Scott Kneale are likely to remain absent with injury. Ali Trace makes a guest appearance at ten though and skipper Eddie Lord is back to full fitness after illness. Neil Hulme is recovered from a neck inury and returns in the second row with the versatile Jack Roberts moving to wing. Ramsey won away at Port last season, however a repeat, at least this weekend seems unlikely.