'DALE DOLE OUT DOUBLE.

1 Joe Stevens Adey Professional Heating Solutions
2 Andy Powers Bay Travel
3 Alex Preston Fatlads Utd
4 Adam Foxcroft Carpet and Floorcare
5 Luke Ford CM Ferguson Decorating
6 Bobby Holdbrook SJB Tiling Ltd
7 Jack Ayrton Allan Entwistle
8 Sam Wallbank George Dickson
9 Jordan Dorrington The Alies
10 Alex Briggs Jilly Beads
11 Jordan Fern Online Systems
12 Ben Dorrington Ron Higgin
13 Fergus Owens AJB Electrical
14 Ethan Robertson Baines Plumbing & Heating
15 Chris Ramwell Martin Woodhouse
16 Ollie Cowey Mathews Benjamin/ Fine and Country
17 Joe Wallbank Mathews Benjamin/Fine and Country.
18 Damon Hall Mathews Benjamin/Fine and Country

Match Sponsors: SJB Tiling/ Dave Kendall
Ball Sponsor: Scott & Wilkinson Accountants
Team Mascot: Thomas Bradburn

As the end of the North Premier season comes ever closer a few matters have been sorted; the Vale of Lune were, in words of Private Frazer, “doomed,” while Rossendale were safely ensconced in seventh place and in no danger. There was however, the small matter of pride. The Vale would have liked to have ended their six match losing streak front of their home supporters while Rossendale would be hoping to extend their three match winning sequence and also to complete the all important double over the Vale after their 26-0 victory at the beginning of December at Marl Pits.
After the maulings the Vale had received in a mad March they produced a positive performance but once again the experience of the opposition proved to be a crucial factor in their defeat. At no stage did Rossendale panic even after conceding two early tries and trailing on the scoreboard throughout the first half; they had a game plan which they adhered to, and slowly but surely they achieved dominance to restrict the Vale to only one second half try.
Vale shot away to an ideal start with a try in the seventh minute from a swift counter attack. Man of the match Fergus Owens boomed a kick crossfield into the flight path of winger Ethan Robertson who never broke stride on his way to a thrilling try which stand-off Alex Briggs converted.
This score came completely out of the blue and before Rossendale could refocus the Vale added to their score in the eleventh minute when Fergus Owens rounded off another passage of inventive rugby with an unconverted try.
Such an impudent opening by the hosts was not at all in Rossendale’s script but they asserted themselves in the thirteenth minute when Phil Mills barrelled his way over for a try converted by full back Lewis Allan.
After such a flurry of scoring a pattern began to emerge as both sides visibly tightened their defences but in the twenty second minute a passage of free flowing Vale rugby brought a handsome return when following an impressive surge from Sam Wallbank, Fergus Owens darted over for an unconverted try.
Three minutes later Rossendale’s Rob Bramwell touched down for his try, however, Lewis Allan’s conversion was charged down dramatically by Andy Powers who covered the twenty five metres in even time to produce something of rarity at the end of his dash for glory.
While the East Terrace was still buzzing following the hooker’s audacity Fergus Owens embarked on one of his elegant runs for his hat trick and the try bonus point after Joe Stevens had ripped the ball out of a Rossendale players hands; Alex Briggs kicked the conversion in the twenty seventh minute.
Following a period of Rossendale pressure winger Curtis Strong was provided with time and space to collect his try which Lewis Allan converted. An Alex Briggs penalty completed the first half scoring which ended with the Vale very much on the front foot with searing break from Chris Ramwell after Fergus Owens after sliced through.
Former Vale player and coach, Mark Nelson must have offered some choice words of advice to his charges during the interval because Rossendale came out for the restart determined to put the whipper- snappers in their place by launching a series of energy sapping attacks deep in Vale territory. Jack Ayrton, Luke Ford and Bobby Holdbrook were in the thick of the action but eventually the dam burst when a sweeping Rossendale attack ended with Nick Fylnn collecting a try which Lewis Allan converted in the fifty first minute.
In the build up to this score Jordan Dorrington went down injured and after received treatment he was helped off the field by Rossendale’s Reece Tomlinson, a gentle giant of a lock forward, who when he next approached the East Terrace, was loudly applauded for his care and concern for Vale’s scrum half. This was a wonderful sporting gesture.
Rossendale went into the lead in fifty sixth minute with a try, despite all the valiant efforts of Chris Ramwell to halt the move, from Tom Jones, converted yet again by Lewis Allan.
Stability returned to Vale’s game they began to play some enterprising rugby and one attack involving Andy Powers, now playing at scrum half, Sam Wallbank and Luke Ford, had Rossendale retreating. But just as the Vale appeared to be creating some equilibrium scrum half Harrison Moulding broke through tackles for a try in the sixty seventh minute converted by Lewis Allan.
Vale responded immediately with a vintage try from replacement Damon Hall, who having discarded his ear piece which he wore to keep in touch with the coach when he patrolled the touchline, produced something out of the top draw. Following a weaving run he kicked ahead outpaced the chasers on the carpet for an unconverted try to cut Rossendale’s lead to eight points.
The closing eight minutes were dominated by Rossendale as fatigue began to set in for the hosts. Tries were scored by Tom Waring and Jacob Sutton both converted by Lewis Allan to bring the curtain down on what had been a miserable March for the Vale.