The seconds found themselves pitted against a strong Stockport squad that contained a large number of first team players. It was always going to be a tough act at Headlands Road for the seconds because they were missing many of their regulars who were either injured, unavailable or were promoted into the first team.
Despite all the problems that piled up around the seconds their heads never dropped, they battled hard throughout with those players who had stepped up a level, or two, not shirking their responsibilities and who remained totally committed until the final whistle.
For some of the players who were sampling their experiences of second team rugby for the first time there was a determination in the post match debate to work harder at their personal fitness and to attend training session on a more regular basis.
It was a sad day for the seconds because two of their players were playing their last game for the club, Sam Hoare and Khaizir Aziz will be returning home. Sam, a most highly respected player signed off with a hat trick of tries even though he played at prop for most of the game. Khaizir, a real bundle of non-stop exuberant energy in wherever he has been asked to play and like Sam, quickly settled into his new environment and wore the cherry and white jersey and club tie with pride.
Stockport’s experience and power exploded in the eleventh minute with a converted try but the Vale tweaked the dragon’s tail four minutes later with an impudent try when Sam Hoare blasted his way over with Stockport players hanging grimly onto his shirt tails; Ryan Busby added the conversion.
The home side increased their lead by moving the ball around, and they collected three further converted tries before half time.
For the Vale the discomfort continued in the second half when Stockport added three unconverted tries. In the sixty eighth minute Sam Hoare used his strength to good effect for a try converted by David Minikin. Two minutes later Sam crossed for his hat trick to bring his season’s total to 18, to confirm him as leading try scorer and another bubbly jug of Cava.
Following Vale’s brief flurry of points Stockport snapped back to take their score over the half century mark with two tries, one of which was converted.
In extra time skipper, Scott Manning, playing at fly half and who was the only regular second team player in the back division, shrugged off would be tacklers for his 13th try of the season, which was not converted.
Overall it was a courageous, bullish performance from the whole team with Andrew Garnett being a towering presence throughout, Scott Manning set a superb example, Matt Field made another all action contribution but it was the efforts of those around them who were worthy of the highest praise, on what was a special, emotional day for “Spanish Sam.”
All at the Vale send their best wished to Sam and Khaizir for their future and thank them for their involvement with the club.