For this second meeting of the season the Vale travelled to Wilmslow with a hint of trepidation after a number of their regulars were called up to the first team, initially it took them a while to settle at The Memorial Ground.
In a stuttering start a number of tackles were missed, the ball dropped in promising positions and some scoring chances went begging. Wilmslow took full advantage of Vale’s hesitant start with an early penalty goal and a converted try in the seventeenth minute after the Cheshire side’s lively back division had opened up the Vale rather too easy for comfort.
But as the game entered its second quarter more composure and tactical awareness began to emerge in Vale game as they moved up a gear. In the twenty seventh minute Kyel Dempsey used his strength and low centre of gravity to maximum advantage as he surged powerfully over for an unconverted try.
The Seconds edged into the lead in the thirty eighth minute when skipper Scott Manning collected a try after the forwards has established a solid platform at a set scrum within the shadow of the posts. Alex Briggs converted to complete the first half scoring.
Vale set a high tempo in the opening exchanges at the start of the second half. Alex Briggs kicked a forty first minute penalty goal followed five minutes later by Matt Field’s first try of the season after a series of pick and drives from the forwards.
A ten point lead was the perfect cushion for the Vale and this was added to when Alex Briggs kicked his second penalty in the fifty seventh minute. The young fly half also scored his first try of the season in the sixty sixth minute courtesy of a perfectly weighted pop pass from James Mawdsley after the wing forward had blasted his way through a number of tackles. Alex added the conversion.
Fraser Spavin topped and tailed an outstanding individual contribution with a try in the seventy third minute after the forwards and backs had indulged in a flashing passage of high quality ball handling, Alex Briggs converted his try with a superb kick from wide out.
Wilmslow came back strongly with a series of late attacks but Vale’s tackling at this stage was equal to the task that faced them and although Wilmslow probed they could not find a way through.
Fraser Spavin deserved his Man of the Match award, he was magnificent throughout, always in the right place to secure quality ball, his tackling inspired those around him and he was a constant thorn in Wilmslow’s side. Owen Brandford was a formable unit in the power house, while James Mawdsley was an aggressive free ranging flanker who was perpetually in the faces of the opposition.
On Saturday the Seconds entertain top of the table Lymm 2, who are the only side to defeat the Vale this season.
Apologies to my loyal readers for the errors that crept into last week’s report. I blame the “Vino Collapso!”