Vale of Lune delight home crowd with win over Bowdon

MATCH REPORT: Vale of Lune 17 Bowdon 5

The skies were dark with winter cloud, but the Vale were bright from the 'B' of the bang!

Before a home crowd awash with Santa hats and pre-Christmas cheer, the Vale asserted themselves emphatically.

It was to be notably different from the corresponding away fixture at Clay Lane in September. 

Bowdon had barely put a finger on the ball when the Vale delivered the first strike. The driving maul near the left corner was co-ordinated, composed and impossible to defend. Hooker Andy Powers made the vital contact, signalling Big Les the scorekeeper to begin his work. 

Bowdon, playing in black and maroon, weren't lying second in the NW2 league for nothing. They gained possession and pressed into the Vale half. In defence, the Vale remained strong.

Flanker Sam Wallbank gathered a loose ball and sprinted 50 yards into the Bowdon half to safety. A Bowdon penalty kick from 35 yards hit the upright and fell away. The visitors eventually created an overlap for their zippy winger to level the scores in the right corner.

The impetus was all Vale's as the break approached. Winger Campbell Murrell made his presence felt with powerful surges into Bowdon land. In the pack, once again the driving maul paid dividends. It was the imperious Sam Wallbank who touched the ball down, his 100th Vale first team try, taking the half time lead to 10 points to 5. 

From the restart, the Vale retained the initiative. Replacements; Damon Hall and Josh Sutcliffe entered the fray. Hall provided long kicks to put Bowdon under pressure, whilst Sutcliffe added another lineout option to make life harder for Bowdon.

Wallbank was still ablaze with energy. From 40 yards, he took on the Bowdon pack, beating them for pace, then he chipped the ball on for a foot chase to the try-line.

Wallbank saw off all challenges to score his 101st Vale try to the right of the posts. Alex Briggs converted and the lead was comfortable.

Ben Keenan came on to maintain the energy as the Bowdon men fought off attack after attack. Chris Ramwell tackled like his mortgage depended on it, and second row Harry Fellows kicked on and chased twice in the same move, allowing Damon Hall to get within millimetres of beating the defender to the unclaimed ball.

Bowdon held on, and were able to keep the score respectable, but it was clear who was in charge on the day. 

Centurion and double try scorer Sam Wallbank was the stand-out player, but every man deserved praise for a fine team performance.

Four more league points against a higher placed side will send out a message of warning to the others in this league, especially Crewe and Nantwich who are due a visit from the Vale next Saturday. Kick off at 2.15pm. 

Team:    A. Fowler, A. Powers, R. Pillow, G. Oyston, H. Fellows, M. Goodman, J. Ayrton (c), S. Wallbank, J. Batty, J. Silverwood, D. Leighton, A. Bolton, C. Ramwell, C. Murrell, A. Briggs.    Reps.  J. Sutcliffe, B. Keenen, D. Hall.