Vale 2 are still searching for their first victory in the Premier League, their task being further handicapped by not being able to field a settled side on a regular basis, Against a Lymm side that contained a youthful, pacey back division that ran with the freedom of the wind the Vale collected yet more injuries that disrupted their line up and forced a number of on field positional changes.

Team Manager, Tony Gilmour, would like to remind all players to attend training sessions because in the Premier League standards in all areas are very high, any weakness, be it tactics, decision making, skills or levels of fitness will be exploited and punished.

Straight from the kick off the Vale found themselves trapped deep in their own half, but some excellent drives from the pack thwarted Lymm's advances and helped to lift the siege momentarily. However, the inevitable could not be put off for ever and in the sixteenth minute a passage of impressive rugby, when the ball was zipped around at lightning speed, produced a converted try.

To their credit the Vale not only restricted Lymm but manage to mount a number of counter attacks. Wayne Blythe showed a clear pair of heels to the opposition in a move that eventually petered out. In the twentieth minute Neil Walker kick a penalty goal to keep the seconds in touch.

Unfortunately Lymm's threequarters could nor be denied for ever and they added two further tries, the first one being converted but there was an element of luck about the second when a fortuitous rebound worked to their advantage. Neil Walker kicked his second penalty in injury time.

It was vital for the Vale to post early points in the second half to reign in Lymm's aspirations in but it was the home side who struck first with an attack that sliced open the Vale's defence for a converted try.

Injuries started to pile up for the Vale, the changes resulted in some tweaking to the formation but the Vale, despite everything, battled stoutly. Under so much pressure the floodgates eventually buckled as Lymm's backs went through the gears to rack up three more quicksilver tries, two being converted.

In the fourth minute of injury time prop Alex Preston scored a well deserved unconverted try, a fitting reward for a hard grafting performance. Others of his colleagues, Adam Foxcroft, Josh Whyke, Bob Mudd, all played with total commitment in a game where a combination of youth and pace decided the eventual outcome.

Vale 2: A Preston, G McSporran, O Cowey; A Foxcroft, R Mudd; A Rich, M Field, D Rainford (Capt); J Whyke, N Walker; K Dempsey, J Antcliffe, W Blythe, J Fearn; A Melville. Replacements used: R Hodgson, J Moore, L Birchall.