Vale of Lune Colts keep top spot with win over New Brighton

MATCH REPORT: Vale of Lune Colts 22 New Brighton Colts 0

A chilly wind whistled across the hallowed turf at Powder House Lane.

Top of the Halbro league, Vale of Lune welcomed fourth placed New Brighton for this Colts fixture. In the air, the wind played tricks on the players below.

High lofted balls were coming down in unexpected places, place kicks went awry and lineouts became a lottery.

It was the Vale who adapted more swiftly by keeping the ball on the ground where it could be controlled.

Nippy Vale winger Isaac Cook lit up the afternoon with a darting sprint, changing direction with the balance of slalom skier.

The Vale pack hunted as a unit, controlling the game and applying pressure on the Merseysiders.

A scrum on the New Brighton twenty-two metre line fed an unstoppable back row combination, with No.8 Josh Leaver touching down in the left corner.

A NB prop limped off for treatment, and as they had no suitable replacement, the scrums became uncontested for safety reasons. 

Unable to use their evident advantage in the scrums, the Vale competed with equal vigour in the rucks and mauls.

A lineout in the right corner presented prop Charlie Jones  with a try-scoring chance, which he took without compromise.

Stand-off James Wilson came close with the boot, but conversion points remained elusive. Half time came with the score at 10 points to nil. 

As the wind was blowing across the pitch, there was no advantage to either side. Replacements came on and made their mark.

Joe Bouweraerts made a 40 yard dash into the NB 22, whilst hooker Shayan Ahmed brought renewed energy to the forward campaign.

NB were not lacking effort. Their winger was held up over the Vale line, and frustrations led to some verbal indiscipline. The referee moved play back back ten yards and the momentum ebbed away. 

All replacements entered the fray with seamless efficiency. As the final whistle approached, it was end to end stuff with a lot of tired legs chasing in support.

The deadlock was broken by Vale winger Jacob Winder who completed a sustained passage of possession in the left corner. Winder soon added another nearer the posts and Wilson found the uprights to convert.

Men-of-the-Match were Josh Leaver for the forwards and Jacob Winder for the backs.

Vale coach Tracy Gethin summarised the performance of the Vale Colts.

"I am pleased that the team kept their discipline.

"We will work on making the movement more fluid."

Vale of Lune Colts maintain top position in the league. They will take well-deserved confidence into their next game, at home to Tyldesley on Sunday 2nd of February. K.O at 2pm. 

Team: C. Jones, B. Bolton, W. Birkett, J. Thomas, C. Wilgrass, H. Law, N. Allen, J. Leaver, J. Cummings, J. Wilson, J. Winder, C. Hall, H. Stainton, I. Cook, F. Arundale (c).

Reps: S. Ahmed, R. Geci, O. Cowper, J. Metcalfe, J. Bouweraerts, A. Slinn.