Report by Peter Lovett-Horn

They had survived a torrid first half during which Penrith had an icy wind at their backs.
Now the advantage was with Sam Wallbank’s men and a big crowd basking in some winter sunshine waited in eager anticipation.

The game looked to be Vale’s for the taking and surely now with the elements in their favour an attacking onslaught would follow. Sadly it didn’t and Vale went down to their second home defeat in successive weeks and for the third time this season they failed to score any points.

All credit to Vale for that first half performance when they absorbed and survived plenty of pressure. But that hard work was undone in the second when they struggled to get out of their half and struggled to impose any authority on the opposition.

Instead it was the visitors who looked the more composed, catching Vale out twice with tries through their captain Ryan Johnson and James Spencer who also kicked a conversion. Mike Fearon added a couple of penalties and another conversion.

All in all it was very much a low key encounter between two pretty indifferent looking sides. The biting wind might have been responsible for the lack of quality and some of the mistakes, particularly the number of dropped passes from both teams.

There was certainly an air of expectation in the Vale camp as the game got underway. After all, Oli Carter was back in his rightful No 10 position after time away at Preston Grasshoppers, Adam Macluskie was restored to the centre where he joined coach Fergus Owens and the general make up of the back division looked to give Vale a cutting edge.

And there were some glimpses of that potential during a 15 minute period when Vale looked the better side. Their pack had the edge in the tight, but the possession was slow, most of the moves predictable and passes were dropped. And it was one such dropped pass that put paid to Vale’s best scoring chance after a decent handling move has finally opened up the Penrith defence.

Penrith also scorned a scoring chance as they fought back into the game with some sustained pressure, repelled by some good defence and tackling by Vale. As the interval neared the visitors were grateful when referee Matthew Riley spotted the infringement that allowed stand-off Mike Fearon to fire over a penalty.

It was a slender lead which is why so much was expected of Vale after the interval. But those hopes were to be dashed because Penrith changed their own tactics keeping the ball much tighter, denying Vale the valuable ball they needed to exploit the elements. The Cumbrians now looked the more impressive with the ball in hand especially up front and it was the forwards who provided the platform to pressure the Vale defence into the mistake that allowed their captain Ryan Johnson to plunge over for a try which James Spencer converted.

Spencer was on hand to add Penrith’s second try when he followed up on to a grubber kick to touch down. The scoring move had looked innocuous enough but the kick outwitted Vale’s defence and when Fearon added the conversion and then a penalty, the home supporters knew that the game was over.

In the end, Vale trooped off after their ninth consecutive defeat and whilst there is little doubting that there was disappointment both on and off the field there remains a sense that the team can rise above the current problems. The massive injury list has played havoc with team selection, disrupting playing plans and reducing the team’s attacking potential.

But there is a spirit among the players and it is this spirit that will be tested in the challenging weeks ahead. If somehow Vale can conjure up a couple of victories, then the present travails will be quickly forgotten.

In Saturday’s defeat skipper Wallbank led from the front with good support from the likes of Ross Pillow and Andy Powers and there was an encouraging return to first team duty for the popular Danny Lin, called off the bench for some back row action. Behind them there were glimpses that Carter, Owens and Macluskie will rekindle the cutting edge in attack, but there was also a tinge of sadness that fullback Chris Weeks was playing his last game in Vale colours. His resolve in defence and determination in attack will be missed.

Vale of Lune: Paul McLaren-Dorrington, Andy Powers, Ross Pillow, Tom Smith, Adam Foxcroft, Ian Bird, Andy Garnett, Sam Wallbank (capt); Bill Swarbrick, Oli Carter; Ali Richards, Adam Macluskie, Fergus Owens, James Birchall, Chris Weeks. Reps: Jack Ayrton, Rob Lamberton, Danny Lin.

Referee: Matthew Riley. Team Mascot, Patrick McCarten Bevington. Match sponsors, NatWest Bank. Associate Sponsors, Burton & Fisher; Ball Sponsor, Harrison Drury.