Vale of Lune rise to second place in table after Northwich win

MATCH REPORT: Northwich 24 - 38 Vale of Lune

Vale of Lune moved to second place in the Regional 2 North West table after a win over Northwich.

Cloudy and overcast Spring skies wrapped the charming Cheshire town of Northwich. Both sides had much to play for, although, as the Vale chase promotion, Northwich had different league priorities to motivate them.

Lineup changes were required due to non-availability. Harm Dokter returned from injury, and teenaged scrum-half Oliver Ball made his 1st XV debut. A proud occasion for him, his family and the coaches who have guided him through the Vale Junior and Colts programme.

After ten minutes of trying, the breakthrough came from centre Jamie Mayall, cutting through the defence and drawing the tackler before popping the ball onto the hands of Alfie Bolton to place it down.

Northwich struck back soon after with some dogged rucking in the Vale twenty-two area. Both teams were playing to their respective strengths.

A Mayall penalty kick restored the lead, and a slalom through stationary Northwich tacklers by Damon Hall brought the Vale's second try. Again Northwich responded with coordinated forward play and their second try to bring the half time score to 14-17 to the visitors.

Front row replacements Mike Bradshaw and Archie Fowler entered the arena, and the battle of the packs carried on as before. Fowler picked up the ball on the half-way line and struck out with a power surge.

A pass to Hall in a promising position shifted play into the danger zone where Sam Wallbank came in from the right to finish it off under the posts.

The Vale's fourth came from a driving maul, marshalled and completed by Sam Walton. Vale were caught out from the restart. The ball came to ground with Vale's players slow to react.

A Northwich sprinter kicked on and chased, claimed the ball and narrowed the Vale's lead, then a penalty kick brought them within one score of the Vale with ten minutes left on the clock.

A try-saving tackle by Man-of-the-Match Oliver Ball maintained the lead, but it was clear that the Vale had to deny the home side any more opportunities

Winger Jack McFarlane fought off tacklers to gain thirty-five metres. His team did the rest, shifting the ball from the left flank to the right for Mayall to eliminate all doubt with the Vales fifth try, and his place-kick rate was a perfect six out of six.

Damon Hall chipped into space and tried to chase it, but he was impeded and injured in the clash with the defending player. With at least three league games and a cup final on the horizon, Hall's exit from this game sent a worrying shiver down the spines of the travelling supporters.

Five league points keep the pressure on other teams in the play-off positions. The Vale have another blank on their schedule next week. Their next run-out will be at home against Birkenhead Park on the 21st of March. Kick off at 3pm.

Team: J. Crompton, H. Dokter, R. Pillow, H. Fellows, J. Sutcliffe, S. Walton, S. Wallbank, J. Ayrton (c), O. Ball, H. Finan, J. McFarlane, J. Mayall, A. Bolton, D. Leighton, D. Hall. Reps: E. Abdelghafar, A. Fowler, M. Bradshaw.