Vale of Lune hold on for victory at Winnington Park

MATCH REPORT: Winnington Park 21 Vale of Lune 24

In the beginning - there was drizzle!

The Vale of Lune's trip to rural Cheshire was wintery and damp, but the optimism remained crisp and upbeat.

Winnington Park had endured a challenging time so far this season, as the five NW2 league places between these two old rivals would suggest. But they were not going to take the form book as gospel.

The initial thrust came from the home side, laying siege to the Vale in their own 22m area.

The Vale found their feet and applied their strategy. Alfie Bolton and Josh Sutcliffe drove the WP forwards off their own ball in a ruck, and the hunter's instinct of Joe Wallbank found gaps for his peers to exploit.

After 15 minutes, a Vale passing move created space for Chris Ramwell to strike for the line down the left side.

He was impeded, illegally, and the resultant penalty set off another series of passes to allow him to complete his mission on the right corner.

The Vale's next score came from a sharp interplay between Archie Fowler and Alex Briggs, putting Joe Wallbank in to cross the line on the right. Briggs converted, and the form book seemed to be a good guide to the day.

As the rain rate increased, WP came back with purpose, but their progress was halted by a knock-on 15m out.

Archie Fowler gathered a loose ball on the half-way line and blasted through the WP defences, popping the ball left at pace for Bolton, and subsequently Macfarlane, to attack the line.

The move finished with a driving maul try by Andy Powers.

WP frustrations ensued and a raised elbow by their big prop sent him to the naughty step. Jack Batty and Archie Fowler combined to cut further holes in the WP lines, and another Andy Powers try was added in the right corner. Half time came with the score at 24-0 to the visitors.

Winnington Park came out fighting in a manner notably absent in the first forty minutes. A sustained period of possession in the Vale half set up a converted try.

Their second try put them in range of a shock comeback. Andy Powers was deemed to have impeded play inappropriately, and off the to the bin he went.

The third WP try brought the previously unlikely spectre of parity to the huddled assembly. Collective clenching among the Vale supporters showed in their eyes, with only a drop-goal's difference between the sides.

The final five minutes were intolerably tense, and the final whistle came with a collective sigh of relief.

Five league points to Vale and one bonus point for Winnington Park suggested that the form book was accurate, but this game brought its own surprises.

A free week follows, allowing ample preparation for the considerable demands of the match against top-of-the-league Sandbach at Powder House Lane in two weeks' time.

Vale of Lune head coach Mark Goodman will want his absent stars fit for that.

Assistant coach, Scott Armstrong said of his team's efforts: "The Vale of Lune is developing well.

"This team is learning how to win, and win-ugly when it's needed."

Team:    A. Fowler, A. Powers, M. Mount, H. Fellows (c), J. Sutcliffe, J. Wallbank, M. Goodman, H. Dokter, J. Batty, J. Silverwood, J. Macfarlane, A. Bolton, A. Briggs, D. Leighton, C. Ramwell.     Reps: G. Oyston, B. Keenan, E. Abdelghafar.

Pictured: Vale's Chris Ramwell.