1 James Hesketh Lancaster Lets
2 Phil Berry Bay Travel
3 Ross Pillow Fat Lads United
4 Ben Charnley Trevolutions Ltd.
5 Adam Foxcroft Lancaster Lets
6 Andrew Garnett SJB Tiling Ltd
7 Mike Barker Allan Entwistle (Enty)
8 Sam Wallbank George Dickson
9 Billy Swarbrick M&B Nisbett
10 Adam Macluskie J Balshaw Carpets
11 Tom Ball FBS Financial Solutions
12 Ben Dorrington Ron Higgin
13 Ian Bird Adam Foxcroft. Roofing
14 Rob Lamberton Duncan Hall Financial Services
15 Chris Weeks Grand Cru
16 Paul McLaren-Dorrington
17 Malcolm Fowler
18 Charlie Lomas

Match Ball Sponsor Ground Crew
Team Mascot William & Robert Midgley

A few gallons gave water have flowed under the proverbial bridge since the two clubs last faced each other in the 2010/11 season when the visitors were relegated from North One West. In the meantime New Brighton have regrouped and last season they finished as champions of South Lancashire/Cheshire One after suffering only one defeat.

In the intervening years both clubs have experienced changes in personnel, both on and off the field, and there has been an influx of new players since the previous meeting at Powder House Lane in October 2010. Out of the 36 players on duty on that occasion a bare handful turned out for the latest meeting, Sam Wallbank, Ian Bird and James Hesketh for the Vale of Lune, and Phil Buckley, Paul Roberts, Vinny Dutton, Luke Thompson and Kati Tuipuloto for New Brighton; plus ca change.

The latest meeting developed into a contrast in styles and tactics employed by the respective coaches, which in both instances followed the long established maxim of playing to your strengths. In New Brighton's case it revolved around their strong pack gaining domination to grind down the opposition and to dictate play from a position of solidarity, deny the enemy time and space and drag them into an energy sapping forward slog.

As the Vale have already shown this season they have a far different take on how the game is played. They move the ball around at pace at every given opportunity, forwards and backs combine in the common cause, explosive excitement, frustration and tension can go hand in hand, but at the final whistle Vale's intoxicating style, not everyone's cup of tea it must be said, ensured they ran out deserved winners, their five tries bringing another bonus point victory.

Cards were laid on the table from kick off as the pressure built on the home side and in the seventh minute winger Joe Silcock kicked a penalty goal for New Brighton. But after absorbing the visitor's advances the Vale could have drawn level in the tenth minute but Ben Dorrington was off target with a penalty kick that came at the end of a move which had begun with a long accurate pass from scrum half Billy Swarbrick and break from hooker Phil Berry.

One minute later centre Ben Dorrington touched down for his try after Adam Macluskie had started the attack when he spotted a gap in New Brighton's defence, Ben Dorrington added the conversion.

New Brighton continued to channel the ball through their forwards, they had some choice cuts of beef on the hoof, while the Vale foraged in the wide open spaces. Both Tom Ball and Chris Weeks made dangerous runs, but when Phil Berry received a yellow card New Brighton took full advantage of having an extra player available. Winger Luke Thompson touched down wide out after the overlap had been created in the twenty eighth minute for an unconverted try.

Vale went into the lead with six minutes remaining when skipper Sam Wallbank set off on an intelligent angled unopposed run that took him away from the cover for a most efficient try converted by Ben Dorrington. They could not afford to relax because the New Brighton power plant had the dials jumping in the closing minutes of the half as they shut down the Vale.

Facing a stiff wind in the second half the Vale were pegged back and in the forty eighth minute New Brighton's pack rolled towards Vale's line from a line out and from close range lock Will McCaig went over for a not unexpected unconverted try. The visitors edged into the lead in the fifty fourth minute when stand off Steve Dean kicked a penalty goal

But the celebrations were short lived because the Vale hit back immediately when the ball was moved crossfield from a line out, full back Chris Weeks torpedoed into the line to sprint clear for an unconverted try, all very conventional and neat, but executed at full throttle; Ben Dorrington's conversion bouncing back infield after crashing against an upright.

As the game moved into its final quarter the Vale began to thread together a number of attacks that gathered in intensity. Rob Lamberton's try claimed the bonus point in the sixty third minute but it was all rather confusing in the build up. New Brighton were expecting the referee's whistle to blow and they momentarily lost concentration, but Mr Henry waved play on, Rob Lamberton never took his eyes off the ball for a try that confirmed the commandment, "always play to the whistle," Ben Dorrington, converted.

Rob Lamberton collected his brace in the seventy third minute when he completed an attack that began with a tap penalty on the opposite side of the field. When the right winger received the ball there was plenty of work to do but with little space available and with the imminent possibility of being hurtled into touch he delicately stepped back infield, his well balanced run taking him away from the chasers for a gem of a try converted by Ben Dorrington.

With the game drawing to a close Rob Lamberton and Chris Weeks calmly cleared a dangerous situation, causing a few palpitations out on the East Terrace but not in the Vale's technical area, deep in their own twenty two with a bout of interpassing when confronted by a group of chasing New Brighton players In the final minute there was just enough time for the New Brighton's hard grafting forwards to put their case when prop Chris Micali thundered over, his try being converted by Steve Dean from in front.