Vale Out -Gunned at Home.

The drizzle abated and the skies cleared for the start of this NW2 clash at Powder House Lane. Changes to the Vale line-up had been necessary due to injury and other problems with availability. Opportunities followed, and the result was a mix of the new and the experienced. It was experimental, and that always comes with risks.

In the Autumn, this fixture had resulted in a nail-biting finale which gave the spoils to the Vale. Since then, Altrincham Kersal has fared less well than the Vale, now sitting too near to the drop zone for comfort. As the Vale were going neither up nor down in their league, perhaps there was a platform for complacency. Meanwhile, for the AK side, there was everything to play for. Their motivation was evident and it fuelled their performance.

The Cheshire visitors claimed the first points with a penalty kick from 25 metres. Shaken into action, the Vale hit back quickly. A rehearsed set-piece formed a driving maul, under which Andy Powers burrowed his way to the line for a try. Full back Chris Ramwell found the uprights and the lead was reallocated. AK's backs had the initiative and they used it to release their fast backs to good effect. An unconverted try followed and the pendulum swung once again.

A superbly timed and balanced midfield run by Ramwell cut a swathe through the AK defence. He passed to flanker Callum Hall, who popped the ball up to the well-placed Harry Fellows to touch the ball down. Ramwell added the extra two points and confidence was high, at least until AK came back once more with a try under the posts. The AK forwards showed their power and co-ordination with a driving maul try, which has been the Vale's party-piece all season. Half time arrived with the score at 14 - 22 to the league underdogs.

Second half changes brought in Adam Foxcroft, Ross Pillow and Luke Kettlewell. There were limited options for change in the back division. Nevertheless, Ramwell found an opportunity to slot home a penalty kick to put the Vale within one score of the lead. Despite their years of experience, the Vale's pack were put under sustained pressure in their own twenty-two metre area. Having maintained the siege defence with valiant resolve, the inevitable morale-sapping, disappointment came after an onslaught from the AK forwards. Another two from AK's pair of flying wingers in either corner put the cherry on the cake for the team determined to avoid relegation.

A neutral, yet valid, view might be that the team who had more to lose out-performed the team who had nothing to prove. With 47 league points, the Vale remain mid-table in NW2 as they prepare for the final away fixture at Burnage, South Manchester next Saturday. The quest to keep the league position they have earned over the past few weeks, could yet be the driving force for a crowd-pleaser.

Team: A. Fowler, A. Powers, J. Stevens, H. Fellows, G. Oyston, C. Hall, J. Sutcliffe, S. Wallbank, J. Silverwood, R. Chadwick, J. Fern, E. Abdelghafar, A. Bolton, K. PIckup, C. Ramwell. Reps: R. Pillow, A. Foxcroft, L. Kettlewell.