Vale of Lune take the points at West Park St Helens

MATCH REPORT: West Park St Helens 21 Vale of Lune 30

It was mercifully dry but cruelly cold, and the Vale's trip to the 'glassworks' brought an opportunity to put right their shock defeat at home to Widnes last Saturday.

Another changed Vale side faced recently promoted WPSH, positioned six spots below them in the NW2 table.

This encounter marked the 100th Vale 1st XV appearance for Damon Hall, who, through so many electrifying performances, has proved himself to be among the very best of the players ever to have donned the cherry-and-white of his home town club.

West Park took the reins and pounded the Vale line with gusto. It brought them an early try which, even when converted, failed to rattle the Vale.

As their customary resolve kicked in, the Vale came back with determination.

Scrum-half Billy Swarbrick exploded through the static WP defence to take play into their 22 metre area, before stand-off Kurt Gledhill struck back with a try to the left of the posts.

A Vale penalty kick 20 metres out came from their forward dominance in midfield. It gave the Vale a one-point lead.

Vale's punchy winger Jack McFarlane took the threat forward with several hard-fought incursions into the WP back yard. His endeavours set up many opportunities for his peers to threaten the try-line.

One such sortie, involving a passing move from the right flank to the left, allowed centre Jamie Mayall to slalom through the WP defenders to score, and stretch the Vale's lead.

Another similar tactic was utilised soon after. It came from the athletic creativity that Vale fans have come to expect from scrum-half, Billy Swarbrick, who dived over to extend the lead.

The half-time whistle eventually came with the score at seven points to 22 to the Vale.

The second half saw the Vale claim, retain and purposefully use possession in the WP half.

The pounding that they delivered resulted in a fourth try, finished over the final 15 metres by Gledhill, near to the right corner.

A score-free 10 minutes ensued, before the deadlock was ended by some strong scrummaging from West Park's pack. It set up a chain reaction which the Vale struggled to contain.

Their reward soon followed. Vale hit back by forcing a penalty on the WP 22 metre line. Mayall's effort fell short, but another one soon after found the target.

West Park were not going to lie down. A prolonged forwards' surge of coordinated phases of possession brought them into the Vale's five metre zone. Some desperate Vale defending contravened the laws, and referee Mr Coulter awarded a penalty try to the home side.

Number Eight Sam Wallbank was the token offender, so he saw out the remainder of the match from the discomfort of the bench.

Vale's man of the match was right winger, Jack McFarlane, who was in, or close to, so many of the Vale's best moves.

This win secures the Vale's third spot in the NW2 table, as the squad enters a three-week seasonal hiatus.

The campaign resumes at home against second-place North Ribblesdale on Saturday January 10, to be witnessed by the Vale's past players at their annual gathering. Kick off at 2.15pm. 

Team:  R. Pillow, H. Dokter, M. Bradshaw, H. Fellows, J. Sutcliffe, S. Walton, S. Wallbank, J. Ayrton (c), B. Swarbrick, K. Gledhill, J. McFarlane, J. Mayall, D. Hall, D. Leighton, R. Busby.      Reps: J. Crompton, A. Briggs, A. Fowler.