1	Ben Corless	Lancaster Lets.co.uk
2	Phil Berry	Balshaws Carpets
3	Alex Cowey	Fat Lads United
4	Harry Fellows	City Communications
5	Lee Acton	Lancaster Lets.co.uk
6	Gareth Tudor	Wayne Lord Plumbing & Heating
7	Fraser Spavin	Allan Entwistle (Enty)
8	Ben Charnley	SJB Tiling
9	Darren Wilson	Barbara and Marlene Nisbet
10	Adam Macluskie	Gardeners Tiles
11	James Curran	Rothwell Plumbing Services
12	Adam Crisp	Ron Higgin
13	David Haigh	Bay Travel
14	Sam Moorby	D Hall, Financial Planning Sevices
15	Nick Royle	Grand Cru
16	Olly Cowey	Barry Parsonage
17	Andy Powers	George Dickson
18	Ben Charnley	Lee Turton

Skipper Darren Wilson was making his 100th appearance against Widnes in a top of the table clash after his debut at Liverpool St Helens in January 2010, but like his first game for the Vale of Lune it ended in defeat. Widnes not only inflicted the first league defeat on the season on the Vale but they pushed the visitors down to sixth place in North One West.

After the Vale had suffered their first defeat at Heath Road since November 2011 the Widnes President, John Barrow, described the game as a "war of attrition" and he was not far wide of the mark with his assessment. In glorious sunny conditions a large crowd witnessed a great deal of endeavour from both sides during various phases of the encounter but in such a tight game the respective fortunes fluctuated.

At the final whistle included in the assessment of the game the word naive cropped frequently from the Vale camp, but also that the season has a long way to go and although there are still four clubs with unbeaten records the form book suggests it is far from a done deal.

Unfortunately for the Vale finding the winning ticket on the day proved elusive as backing the winner in the race night held in the Widnes clubhouse after the game and certainly the Vale will be working hard on the gallops before the tapes go up for their home game against Carlisle on Saturday.

With Jack Turton, who has made a stunning impact in his first two games unavailable, the Vale went into the game without a recognised goal kicker and puller of strings. Adam Macluskie was given the number ten jersey after Jonty Higgin had been ruled out with the recurrence of an injury sustained the pervious week. Macluskie did everything that was asked of him but the marauding Widnes back row with scrum half Mike Lamb directing operations were quick to close him down in addition to paying close attention to the darting Wilson.

If the backs struggled to gain any momentum the forwards were in the thick of the action; powerful at the set scrums, winning three strikes against the head, wolf like in the loose but a little wobbly at some line outs.

During the second half they trapped Widnes in and around their twenty two for long periods, constantly shunting their opposite numbers backwards, winning numerous penalties in the red zone but referee Brown was reluctant to award a penalty try much to the obvious annoyance of the Vale's coaching staff and supporters. But Widnes rode their luck, only conceding one try during this period of Vale dominance and in the closing minutes successfully ran the clock down.

Widnes made the more enterprising start in bright sunshine, centre Dave Welsh slipped through rather too easy for comfort as the Vale scrambled to cover some dangerous attacks. Vale attempted to relieve the pressure but their kicks down field were returned with interest and any attacks were repulsed.

Eventually the Widnes pressure brought its reward with an unconverted try from winger Gareth Riley in the eighteenth minute. This score galvanised the Vale because within three minutes they drew level. Wilson darted from the base of a scrum in the Widnes twenty two in a slick move that ended with winger Sam Moorby touching down in the sight corner; James Curran's powerful kick hit an upright but bounced back infield.

Following the score the Vale's confidence improved, they moved onto the front foot and with Widnes still eager to move the ball around the game began to reflect the lofty league positions of the two clubs, but generally the defences were well on top.

Fraser Spavin made a rangy break out of defence that had Widnes retreating, Macluskie spotted a gap which he shot through with a forceful run but as the game moved into injury time Widnes broke the deadlock with an orthodox threequarter movement. The ball was zipped across the line with deadly accuracy, winger Kevin Leadbetter touched down for an unconverted try.

A disorganised Vale made heavy weather in the opening minutes and before they had stabilised they found themselves eight points adrift when full back Matty Smith clipped over a penalty goal. Not an ideal opening for the visitors and with Lee Acton in the sin bin, Widnes sniffed another score but the Vale's defence held firm. A run from Nick Royle with support from Curran helped to turn the tide in the visitor's favour.

David Haigh was held up short, the Vale's rolling maul began to trouble the home side, while the set scrums put Widnes on the back foot. Vale ramped up the pressure, the penalty count started to mount against Widnes but the Vale were unable to capitalise on the situations they were creating.

Curran was held up with a brave tackle from Smith and as the game moved into its second quarter it was characterised by one way traffic towards the Widnes line. Too their credit Widnes dug deep, they defended courageously, meanwhile Vale's coaches and their supporters who were close to the action were in grave danger of blowing a gasket as they perceived an imbalance surrounding the awarding of penalties without the ultimate sanction being applied; goodness knows what pundits, Barnes, Moore and Dallagilo would have made of it?

In the seventy fifth minute the Vale's efforts were rewarded when a phalanx of forwards swarmed across the whitewash and the predatory Olly Cowey claimed an unconverted try. Suddenly the home side sensed the danger lights were flashing, the Vale were on full beam but Widnes were alert and kept the Vale at arm's length to successfully ride out three minutes of stoppage time, fully aware that any slip could let the Vale in for a score in what was overall an emotionally charged game so early in the season; interesting and absorbing for a neutral but far too gruelling for those with a nervous disposition from the respective clubs.

Alies Man of the Match: Andy Powers.