Following their high stepping romp against Wilmslow Vale were fully aware that a searching examination awaited them over at Blackburn and that the Ramsgreave Drive outfit were running hot, with their last defeat being at home against Stockport, 14-11, on December 14.

Although Vale had won at a brisk canter, 32-10, at the end of September Blackburn had stabilized their situation and with a squad that contained experienced players like Steve Kerry, Phil Crayston, Dino Radice, Paul Bleasdale, et al, they were not going to bend a knee to anyone without offering strong resistance.

Blackburn RUFC were celebrating their 125th Anniversary and both sets of players did justice to the landmark by serving up a highly absorbing, balanced contest. Vale ran out winners, 31-21, they had brought their gilded harp to the party and plucked it to good effect with not too many bum notes in the recital.

At the finale it is doubtful that the majority of Blackburn's supporters would have harmonised with the words and sentiments to be found on the advertisement for “Thwaites Smooth Beer” in the programme which proclaimed “it was even better than a win on Saturday!” Two pints better than two points? Discuss dear reader.

In front of a large crowd Ian Bird led his team out a funeral pace and was to be expected at a “Local Derby” produced a strong reaction from some sections of the home crowd. See the moorland panorama, hear the muttered oaths. If Vale's theatrical entrance was intended to take the heat out of the situation then it failed to dampen Blackburn's fires because they launched a series of early attacks that singed Vale's beard.

Blackburn, playing up the slope, went ahead after five minutes with a penalty goal but Vale patiently rode out the storm until the eighteenth minute when they fell further into arrears when Blackburn added an unconverted try after swarming all over Vale. By this stage Coach Nelson had seen enough, the lava started to flow the net result being that referee Johnstone ordered him to go and stand behind the barriers. Eventually olive branches were exchanged and he was allowed back into the technical area.

A thundering long range downfield punt from Steve Swarbrick was just the call to arms the Vale needed and suddenly in an instant all aspects of their game moved on to a different level. The early hesitancy disappeared, Blackburn were pinned uncomfortably thirty metres from their own and started to feel the hot breath of a Vale side which sensed their quarry was experiencing some discomfort.

Jimmy Moore kicked a twenty fifth minute penalty goal to increase the growing confidence and six minutes late Vale took the lead with an attack that Combined Operations would have given their nod of approval to. Vale's forwards dragged their opposite numbers into their web to maul their way inexorably towards the line.

Simon Baines broke from the base and after scattering some would be tacklers he off loaded stylishly to Rob Myers thirty metres out. The centre drew in the cover before delivering a timely pass to Ian Bird who shot over for his try which Jimmy Moore converted. This score shifted the balance in Vale's favour, they upped the pace and in the closing minutes Jimmy Moore kicked two penalties.

Play up the slope for the second half Vale's eight point lead came under immediate threat and their cause was hardly helped when lock Andy Sheard was shown a yellow card. Blackburn struck in the forty ninth minute with a converted try to inject some extra oomph into what was turning out be a cracker jack contest.

Pressure on Vale mounted, Blackburn were roared on by their supporters while their opposite number's brows began to furrow; a one point lead, or conversely a single point deficit brings with a wagon load of unsettling mind games.

Vale's composure did not waver, empathy, mutual respect, trust in each other had been forged in the furnace of competition and even when Ian Brookes was replaced after being knocked out as the game entered its final quarter, concentration and fluidity remained at high levels.

A flashing break involving Jimmy Moore and Steve Swarbrick took play into Blackburn's twenty two and from a scrum the ball was won against the head and when the ball found Rob Myler the centre had little difficulty in carving his way through a defence that was short on numbers for an unconverted try; Jimmy Moore's conversion hit an upright to deny the extras in the sixty fourth minute.

Four minutes later Jimmy thrashed over a forty metre penalty against the wind and in the seventieth minute they edged closer to victory with a quality score. To spread doubt and confusion in Blackburn's ranks Jimmy Moore and Steve Swarbrick had been indulging in some role reversal, although the numbers remained the same on their jerseys and when Jimmy, playing at fly half, produced a blistering break to fillet Blackburn's the scene was set up for a score. Winger James Bryan tracked the move and with pistons pounding he raced round for a try converted by Jimmy.

Blackburn collected a penalty try in injury time after the referee had lost patience with Vale following a number of penalties, Ben Fischer was shown a yellow card but this late seven pointer did not alter the outcome but the final scoreline did provide a reminder of the respective positions in the table even though Vale now had a fourteen point difference over Blackburn.

Vale might have made a slow entrance onto the pitch but there was no rush to leave it either because the whole squad spent some time searching the turf for Rob Myler's crown, alas all the poking and prodding failed to unearth any porcelain, but Vale's smiles were far from plastic and as wide as the River Lune.

The Blackburn fixture, on February 8 was the last league fixture for two weeks, the next one for Vale being on March 1 at home against Aldwinians but Vale's season was not put on hold because they had a home Lancashire Cup game against Rochdale and a club fixture at Furness scheduled.

There was no easing up for Vale in these fixtures and although they made changes from their usual line up, it did not stop them piling on the points, scoring 162 and only conceding 22 A new first team points record was set in the 100-12 victory against Rochdale. This outcome went in no small way to soothe the pain inflicted by Orrell at Edge Hill Road in January 1995 when they demolished Vale, 105-3 in a Lancashire Cup tie, plus the distress caused by the 100-8 loss at Leeds in a club fixture in January 1993. The result at Leeds was the forerunner of two successive defeats, because the following day, in the Lancashire Cup, they lost at Waterloo, 50-0 and six days later with the hurt continuing, they 63-5 lost at home to Sale in a club fixture.

Rochdale again found themselves impaled on another century chopping block when their second team lost at The Lane against Vale seconds 118-0 in October 2003. A rampant Vale ran in 18 tires which included a double hat trick from that elusive bean counter, Paul Brett-Smith, while the trusty boot of Dave McFall converted 14.