Ramsey are still in the hunt for promotion from South Lancashire and Cheshire Division Three following a good win over Prenton which saw Holmes Chapel confirmed as champions.

The Manx side now have to travel to Ellesmere Port on a date yet to be arranged for their final game of the season. A win would give them promotion and a defeat will see Prenton go up.

Ramsey struck the first blow in a full-blooded encounter when they unlocked the Prenton back line in the fifth minute.

Anuerin Pritchard and Matt Livesey combined in centrefield to create space out wide. Al Christian joined the line from fullback to make the extra man and, when he was halted just short of the Prenton line, Lance Wyllie was on hand to finish the move off for a 5-0 lead.

Prenton went straight back down to the Ramsey half from the restart and despite earning a series of penalties they were unable to break the home defence. Rees Randall and Lee Gordon both went close for the visitors but the defence held firm.

The remainder of the first half was spent largely in midfield as both sides tried to dominate the game in contrasting ways. Ramsey opted to play fast and loose while Prenton opted to base their game around their big pack of forwards.

In stoppage time at the end of the first half, the fast and loose game plan finally paid off for Ramsey. Wyllie was again involved as he linked with fellow back rower Will Keenan to create an overlap on the left wing and Adam Yates needed no second invitation as he raced into the corner to double the lead to 10-0 at half-time.

Despite losing Wyllie to the sin bin for some over enthusiastic rucking, Ramsey forged ahead in the 16th minute of the second half. Keenan ran back a poor clearance and when the ball was recycled Tynan Pritchard was on hand with the rest of the pack to drive over for the try. Fintan Cummins converted from wide of the posts to push the lead out to 17-0.

A further five minutes in Prenton finally came to the party. Graham Leahy made the break and a Ramsey hand was spotted in the ensuing ruck. Daryl Parker kicked the penalty to bring the score to 17-3.

Three minutes later, Parker added another after Ramsey again hung onto the ball on the floor and the gap was down to 11 points.

On the half hour the Ramsey jitters got worse. Scrum half Chris Penketh prevented a quick tap penalty by his opposite number Sean Asprey. This would normally attract a yellow card, but Penketh was a little careless when he made the tackle and he dropped Asprey on his head. Referee Tony Heggs had little alternative but to show a red card.

Wyllie dropped off the scrum to cover for the last 10 minutes and this seemed to pay dividends with Fintan Cummins sneaking in two stoppage time penalties to make the game safe.