1 Oli Cowey Phil Sutcliffe
2 Dan Baines Bay Travel
3 Aiden Yates Fat Lads United
4 Adam Foxcroft Trevolutions Ltd.
5 Al Crookall Jilly Beads
6 Andy Powers SJB Tiling Ltd
7 Sam Wallbank Allan Entwistle (Enty)
8 Jack Ayrton George Dickson
9 Olly Dobson Ground Crew/Alies
10 Ben Dorrington Foxcroft Construction
11 Tom Crookall Online Systems
12 Fergus Owens Ron Higgin
13 Jonty Higgin Stella Artois
14 James Birchall Duncan Hall Financial Services
15 Adam Macluskie
16 Ross Pillow
17 Dan Rainford
18 Jack Turton
Match Sponsor Baines Wilson
Match Ball Sponsor Phil Sutcliffe
Team Mascot George William Elliot

While the bell ringing debate echoed around the shires, after the latest North One West fixture played on the usual immaculate surface to be found on the main pitch at Powderhouse Lane, then perhaps mud wrestling should be put forward as an option for future Olympics.

The rain had ceased by kick off time but before boots had been planted, puddles of water ominously pock marked the pitch and once the game was underway the churning began. Players quickly became emulsified with "Brown Windsor" but unlike the Widnes fixture at the beginning of the month, there was enough daylight available in the latter stages to enable referee Taylor to distinguish the respective players.

As the players trotted for the showers at the final whistle they left behind them a rutted, furrowed surface that reminded many of the state of the ground after Lancashire and Gloucester had contested the "Thorn County Championship Final" in February 1980; all that was missing was a huge crowd and a pig.

Considering the conditions underfoot both sets of players were prepared to move the ball around, there were few prolonged bouts of heaving and grunting from the forwards and surprisingly the error count was relatively small. Kicking the ball out off hand did present a problem because not only would a gust of wind blow at inappropriate moment but with the ball covered with a layer of mud it was sometimes difficult to hit the sweet spot.

However, the Vale gave another splendid, unified account of themselves to extend their unbeaten winning sequence to five games as they completed the double over Blackburn, restricting them to a blank score line for the first time this season and for the third time in the campaign they shut out the opposition.

The last time the Vale had such a successful winning run was in the 2012/13 season when they won six games on the bounce between September 1 and October 6. In the 2013/14 season they were undefeated in six sequential game, four wins and two draws.

Undoubtedly the Vale are in fine fettle at the moment, there is a unity and sense of purpose flowing through the whole squad and this was well to the fore against a battling Blackburn side. Not only do the Vale have complete confidence in each other but there is a genuine appreciation of an individuals efforts and contributions to the common cause.

From whatever angle the Vale are looked at the teamwork ethic shows through, honest endeavour is just as warmly applauded as a nugget of outlandish technical brilliance. Talent abounds surrounded by grit and determination and this has been reflected throughout their recent run of form.

Changes were made from the squad that performed so well at Wilmslow but regardless of the alterations on the team sheet there is solid spine running through playing strength and in far from easy conditions it was much in evidence from the first blast of the whistle.

Both sides set a health pace from the start the ball was crisply passed, the tacking was solid from both sides but pretty soon faces, arms, legs and kit began to move into the khaki spectrum, with just the occasional glimpse of white flesh and a clean shirt highlighting those individuals who had yet to daub on the camouflage; this did not last long and they also were soon festooned with gunge.

After twelve minute the Vale opened the scoring with a Ben Dorrington penalty goal but it was Blackburn who took up the baton with a dangerous break down the right involving full back Sean Hall and winger Matt Hughes.

Close handling from Adam Foxcroft, and Tom Crookall forced Blackburn to retreat followed by a high stepping run from Al Crookall deep into the visitor's twenty two. Vale always looked dangerous with ball in hand, they did not over elaborate, short, staccato passing being the order of the day and straight line running with just the hint of a dummy were ideal to wrong foot a defender, who generally had only one chance of adjusting on the glue pot.

A Ben Dorrington run contained all these ingredients as he swept towards Blackburn's line. A ten metre scrum had Blackburn defending and when the ball was shipped wide it went to ground. However, the Vale had done enough in this spell to draw a penalty which Ben Dorrington kicked in the twenty eighth minute.

As the half drew to a close the handling errors started to increase but this did not force the players to stick it up their jumpers. Just before the interval Dan Baines, who again set the standard for those around him, was led off with a nose injury but such is the multifaceted composition of the Vale squad they were able to realign their front row with players of the required technical ability.

Coach Paul McLaren-Dorrington rang the changes at half time but such is the quality to be found on the bench the Vale hardly missed a beat and subjected Blackburn to a severe examination in the opening quarter.

In the fifty second minute Blackburn's efforts to halt a churning drive tested the officials patience and the Vale were awarded a penalty try, their second of the season, converted by Ben Dorrington.

The efforts of players from both sides could only be applauded. Blackburn repulsed numerous Vale attacks, their defence stood firm as the Vale searched for a way through. Eventually they had to content themselves with a Ben Dorrington penalty in the sixty fourth minute.

Vale's half off the field belonged to a flock of seagulls but there picking and prodding was shattered when Blackburn came roaring into the game to take not only the gulls by surprise but also the Vale.

Blackburn's scrum half, Harry Pilkington, sent the feathers flying with a solo run that took play deep into Vale territory in the seventieth minute. The Blackburn eight suddenly had a new lease of life and discovered hidden depths as they subjected the Vale to some doughty scrummaging in the red zone.

A disciplined Vale dealt with dangerous phases, either from close range scrums or from players darting around the fringes, but the tackling was excellent, somehow the ball was smuggled clear at decisive moments, and with the composed Jack Turton able to thrash the ball downfield, Blackburn's aspirations were neutralised in what was an energising conclusion to a contest that defied the pre-match prognostications.