ANNUS HORRIBILIS

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

Match Sponsor: Co-op
Ball Sponsor: Friends of the Vale
Team Mascots: Oscar Diamond-Hayes, Noah and Theo Williams

Vale of Lune had a “Thin red line of ‘eroes when the drums began to roll,” as the percussion instruments started to pound out a rhythm that would eventually translate into “A march to the scaffold.” For their final game in North Premier the “Samba Espiroto,” thumped vigorously away in attempt to raise the morale of Vale’s players and their supporters prior to kick off and at half time but it was not enough to prevent the home side ending the season in the same way that they had begun it, with a hammering at the hands of Blaydon.
Blaydon now travel to Luctonians in Herefordshire for a play-off game to determine who will be playing in National League Two North next season, while the Vale contemplate their return to North One West and will be hoping that the scars inflicted during a gruelling, energy and confidence sapping campaign have not gone too deep; on the evidence of their performance against Blaydon a great deal of soul searching is going to be required during the close season to repair the damage.
No sooner had the last drum beat disappeared Blaydon were tearing into the Vale and after six minutes they had points on the board when Jack Davidson touched down, his try being converted via the immaculate boot of stand-off Jamie Guy; shortly after Vale lost the services of number eight Luke Ford to be replaced by Bobby Holdbrook.
Pressure increased on the Vale as Blaydon threw caution to the wind in attempt to build a solid foundation of points. Lock James Robinson produced a thundering tackle but the Vale were unable to plug the gaps that were appearing against a side that moved the ball around at speed.
In the eighteenth minute Blaydon doubled their score when centre Dan Marshall cut through for a try converted by Jamie Guy. Six minutes later more misery was piled on the Vale when Sean Pyle crossed the whitewash, his try again being converted by Jamie Guy. On the half hour mark Jamie Guy converted Jack Appleton’s try after the winger had intercepted a pass.
A ragged looking Vale side conceded two tries before half time from Jack Davidson both converted by Jamie Guy as the drums began to vibrate again but the message remained the same because they failed to deter Blaydon who were determined wreck more havoc on the Vale.
Blaydon had broken through Vale’s defences repeatedly in the first half and there was little change in the early stages of the second forty, as a series of one sided attacks ripped apart Vale’s flimsy barriers causing some wag on the East Terrace to cry in anguish, “Where is Michael Caine when you need him?”
The blows came quickly after the restart with tries from stand-off Dan Taylor who shot through a huge gap in the forty first minute followed by one from Dan Marshall who had acres of space to exploit on the left, the metronomic boot of Jamie Guy converted both.
In the fifty sixth minute the Vale rocked Blaydon’s boat with an unconverted try when winger Jordan Fern completed a well constructed attack that had begun with an inspiring break by the versatile And Powers.
Blaydon were quick to respond to such impertinence with a try from skipper Keith Laughlin which Jamie Guy converted in the fifty eighth minute. But the Vale went boldly into the lion’s den four minutes later when Chris Ramwell launched an attack which created space for replacement prop Tom Smith to prance over from twenty metres for an unforgettable unconverted try, which in the context of Vale’s overall performance was something rather special and memorable and will give Tom plenty to talk about in the future because during the evening the distance had doubled, plus a dummy and sidestep had been thrown in for good measure. Any try from a prop is to be celebrated in particular if it is you first at this level as Ross Pillow can confirm after scoring his first at Billingham, a feat that winger Ethan Robertson performed recently against Rossendale.
Wing forward Matt Charlton edged Blaydon further into the sixties with a try four minutes after Tom Smith’s cameo with a try converted by Jamie Guy, but Vale once again had the temerity to tweak Blaydon’s tail. Chris Ramwell, in his final game, for the Vale streaked down the wing for a much deserved unconverted solo try; a fitting reward for a highly respected player.
This score proved to be the last shot across Blaydon’s bows because the visitors ended with a flourish and brought in its wake two tries to confirm the hat trick from their whippet like winger, Jack Appleton, with Jamie Guy converting the last.
Referee Nathan Howarth’s whistle signalled the end to another embarrassing heavy defeat for the Vale and while a passionate debate flared up in all corners of the clubhouse about what had gone so horribly pear shaped for the Vale, this volley of incriminations contrasted sharply with the vibes emanating from Blaydon’s camp, because for them the party is far from over, their star is still climbing while the Vale’s has been extinguished, until next season.