The seconds achieved a deserved victory against Preston Grasshoppers 3 after suffering a Conference B defeat at Lightfoot Green in February. A feature of Vale’s performance was the massive contribution made by the pack which included first team skipper Dan Baines who was making a return from injury and playing in the back row and James Bryan made a rare appearance from the sub’s bench late in the game.
Sam Hadlington was named man of the match after yet another impressive performance and alongside Aiden Yates made their presence felt in the second row. Joe Clarkson, in the back row, displayed his usual tenacity throughout, winning the ball in areas where few dared to venture and tackling with his usual commitment. Alex Morrison at number eight was another player who was in the thick of action.
Outside the scrum James Alker, at scrum half, who was playing his first game for a Vale side in two years, provided a first class service and helped to pilot his side over the line. Nathan Manning made a telling impact as did as did his fellow winger Ted Mossop.
Vale quickly had points on the scoreboard with a try in the eighth minute when Aiden Yates powered over from a line out; unfortunately Aaron Melville’s conversion failed to go over after striking an upright. Six minutes later Dan Baines snapped up the ball to surge over for a try which was converted by Aaron Melville.
Holding a comfortable lead and playing well within themselves the Vale let their guard drop and a series of missed tackles resulted in Hoppers posting an unconverted try in the twenty second minute.
However, the vale put this lapse quickly behind them with an unconverted try from their popular prop Alex Cowey, his first of the season for the seconds, in the twenty ninth minute.
Over elaboration and adventurous passing occasionally let the Vale down and following a mix up in the thirty seventh minute Preston were gifted an unconverted try.
A similar situation occurred in the forty fifth minute when a misplaced pass was seized on by a lurking Preston back rower for a converted try which pushed them into a two point lead.
Driving rugby from a dominant Vale pack presented Alex Morrison with a try on the forty eighth minute converted by Aaron Melville. Nathan Manning scored an excellent try, popping up on his opposite wing to race round behind the posts; Aaron Melville put over the conversion in the fifty fourth minute.
The home side continued to push on with another Aiden Yates try seven minutes later. This was score was followed by a second from Nathan Manning who chased down a kick and win the sprint for the touchdown in the sixty ninth minute, converted by Aaron Melville.
Preston chewed their way into Vale’s lead in the closing ten minutes with two converted tries, one from former Vale favourite Danny Lin, who managed to escape the clutches of his would be tacklers. Preston’s final try followed a number of missed tackles on their left winger.
A ten point winning margin might hint at a close run affair but for long periods the Vale were in full control in particular in the forwards. Two more Conference B fixtures remain, both against clubs who have defeated the seconds, Firwood Waterloo away, the last side to defeat the Vale in February, and Lymm at home.