As a result of Vale's defeat at Firwood Waterloo and the news that Birkenhead Park had been ejected from Conference B, along with their paying records, the pressure is starting to build on the Vale ahead of their three remaining games which include two away at Rochdale and Stockport and a home fixture against Chester to complete their programme. Squeaky bottom time looming.

At half time the Vale were good value for their 17-0 lead and on the surface it appeared that a victory was very much on the cards. The air of confidence was increased when the Vale had extended their score line to a favourable 22-7 in the forty eighth minute.

Unfortunately the game began to swing in the home side's favour when Vale's industrious hooker, Richard Hodgson, was shown a yellow card. Firwood Waterloo firmly saddled up this gift horse to tot up two tries, one of which was converted.

Vale's game began to disintegrate as Firwood Waterloo got the whips out to subject the Vale to a rigorous, relentless, examination and went on to add nineteen more points in the closing fifteen minutes to finish at a canter.

Vale travelled with only one replacement and when Jamie Antcliffe suffered a calf muscle injury just before kick off the visitors were forced into a hasty reshuffle of their resources.

This set back did not seem to affect Vale's composure because after two minutes Aaron Melville fired over a penalty goal. The forwards quickly established a firm grip on proceedings and with Aaron Melville using his vast experience to telling effect, the Vale played with growing confidence and composure.

Things only got better for the Vale when following a dynamic break from Josh Whyke the hard working Jack Ferguson went over for a try converted by Aaron Melville in the twentieth minute.

Although Vale's fly half was off target with a penalty attempt the Vale finished the half on a high note when the predatory Sam Hoare pounced on a loose ball to score an opportunist's try converted by Aaron Melville just before the interval.

Firwood Waterloo broke their duck with an early second half converted try but the Vale responded with a neatly taken unconverted try, from Olly Dobson in the forty eighth minute.

Everything changed for the Vale following Richard Hodgson's departure to the sin-bin, as suddenly Firwood Waterloo's, young, quick back division started to cut loose and wreak havoc on the Vale. Aaron Melville's influence was neutralised and the forward lost their earlier command of the sets and found life more demanding.

As stamina levels began to fall, Vale's tackling became rather tentative as Firwood Waterloo added two tries, one being converted, in the fifty fifth and fifty ninth minutes to reduced Vale's lead to three points.

Three further tries from Firwood Waterloo, one of which was converted, completed the scoring leaving the Vale with plenty ponder over ahead of their visit to Rochdale on April 2.

Danny Lin proved to be an inspired skipper, Jack Ferguson, Richard Hodgson and Sam Hoare worked hard for the cause and before he was shut down, Aaron Melville always looked to keep his colleagues on the front foot in a game that drifted away dramatically from the Vale.