The Baines Plumbing Division One League in the Halbro North West Leagues.
Vale of Lune 2nd XV 8 pts v 59 Pts Sale Vikings
The Vale Side
20. James Hesketh
2. Matti Davenport
3. Robbie Skelton
4. Isaac Thornton
5. Tom Millar
7. Josh Shaun Lewis
8. Kieron Pickup
6. Shannon Morgan
9. Dave Minnikin
16. Rory Briggs
21. Jamie Antcliffe (Skipper)
10. Ryan Busby
14. Jarard McDonald
11. Kevin Bristow
15. Cole Donelly
17. Kaine Winder
1. Matt Paly
13. Jake Wilson
The Sale Vikings XV were visiting the Vale for I think the first time. They are of course the 2nd XV based at Heywood Road and the 2nd XV to Sale FC who play in the National Leagues. The Vale 2nd XV had played this team away early season and incurred a heavy defeat this being 86 pts to 17pts.
After todays result as above I think it would be fair to say they are probably the best side we have played in this League to date. Note we still have to travel to Stockport as the final game of the season.
At last the game was to be played on Vales’ main pitch, contrary to last weeks report in which it felt as though with the tightness of the Crem pitch this was inhibiting the pace present in the Vale XV. The game played on the main pitch today certainly helped the Sale XV as they used the wide expanses.
The Sale XV were a mixture of extreme youth but filled with some older heads which were going to give the Vale XV some serious problems. Within 5 minutes of the start they crossed for 5 points with the conversion going astray. As is the norm this season heads never dropped but might offer some criticism regards this as the game progressed. On 10 minutes Rory Briggs as called on to slot a penalty. He did so !! After refusing the offer 5 minutes earlier taking the touch rather than going for a three pointer.
The game was indeed opening up and Ryan Busby (Buzza for short) took the ball at speed and headed for the Sale goal line. It was to be a brilliant try only to be turned down by our Referee of the Day Sandy Woods who deemed that Ryan knocked the ball on when crossing the line. I’d already put it down as a score and was certainly surprised it had been disallowed.
The Vale scrummage is becoming a strong point in the 2nd XVs game and once again the eight were edging the Sale 8 backwards regularly throughout the game. A strong experienced front row of James Hesketh, Matti Davenport and Robbie Skelton were on top, most of the game even when the side as a whole was under immense pressure. Isaac Thornton and Tom Millar were locking the scrum constantly and offering strong support to the front three. Behing these 5 Kieron Pickup was enjoying a superb game, non stop energy and driving into the middle of the Sale defence regularly. Have the Sale XV seen Shannon Morgan previously it seemed clear he was a marked man and could exhibit his normal silk running. Josh Sloan Lewis was supporting throughout the game.
As the game moved on Sale were to add a further 5 points suitably converted and then soon after another one again with the successful conversion.
The points were adding up and Dave Minnikin, a natural player, was looking for any weaknesses in the Sale side. They were few. He was able to supply accurate ball to his fly half Rory Briggs who was using his kicking skills to offer an advantage to the Vale XV.
Vale were not to be outdone and from an accurate cross field kick from Rory Briggs to the corner Ryan Busby touched down wide out on the car park side of the field.
The Sale side were indeed dominant and causing the Vale XV some immense problems although the tackling from the Vale lads was to be seen.
Manager Lee Starkey was to use his replacements intelligently. He brought on Kaine Winder, Matt Paly and Jake Wilson to add more energy into the side. The continuous defensive needs were clearly taking the toll on the Vale side.
Sale were then running up the tries and it was clear that the game was moving away from the Vale. Did I detect a feeling of “giving up” complaints about the referee were growing, actually overall he didn’t have too bad a game, Sale were proving simply to be a damned good side on the day. They are riding high in the League and looking like contenders for promotion. Of course, this is likely to be in 2nd place Stockport are unbeaten at the present time.
To the M.O.M. and there were certainly a number of contenders. The scorers, the tacklers, the attackers making it difficult to name a person but I would go for Skipper Jamie Antcliffe. His driving play from the opening moves continued into the 2nd half and he never tired. Needing two or three Sale defenders to halt his movement. An example to the side he was leading.
A free week next weekend, sit back and watch the 3rds move onto the main pitch to continue their surge up the Division 3 North….

Fred Swarbrick…