BackSat 13 Oct 2018 · Premier Division
2nd XVLymm 2nd XV
40
32
VICTORIES AT THE DOUBLE.
Stuart Vernon19 Oct 2018 - 07:27
Second successive win and the first in the league. Superb!
The domino effect that has clattered through the selection process for Vale’s senior sides shows little sign of abating so the seconds lined up against Lymm 2 with a bare fifteen players in a team which included former Carnforth player Jason Woodhouse at prop, who brought with him bags of experience and strength.
At the other end of the rugby spectrum Oliver Holroyd proved to be a young player of immense promise, full of boundless energy. In addition Kyle Dempsey was in fine form after his exploits with Heysham Atoms.
Considering all the behind the scenes happenings it was amazing that the seconds nailed down their first Cotton Traders Championship game of the season in far from ideal conditions on a well prepared Crem Pitch that had Vale’s hardy band of supporters searching high and low for shelter.
With Storm Callum still making its presence felt and the size of the playing surface everything pointed in the direction of a tight tactical game and this was the message which bounced off the changing room walls. Unfortunately the wind whipped these thoughts away because the Vale opened proceedings by flinging the ball about without a care in the world, but when a pass was dropped common sense prevailed.
The game then developed into a tactical battle which revolved around Vale’s dominant pack and Lymm’s dangerous threequarters.
Vale quickly gained the high ground in the forward exchanges with Bulgarian International Petar Alexov, who was in the thick of action throughout and an imposing figure, he was instrumental in setting up the first try for Jordan Fern after he was halted just short of the line with Jordan Fern being the first to react. Ryan Busby, who had a most effective game at fly half, kicked the conversion from a difficult angle in the fourth minute.
Although the Vale had created the perfect opening Lymm came back strongly and by the eighteenth minute had established a 10-7 lead with a penalty goal and a converted try.
However, Vale’s forwards successfully regained control of the situation. James Robinson, who produced a towering performance, was ideally placed to dot the ball down after the pack had trundled the Lymm eight backwards twenty metres, Ryan Busby converted on the twenty fourth minute.
As the game moved into added time the Vale’s industrious pack were awarded a penalty try after Lymm had collapsed a scrum. There was still enough time left on the referee’s chronometer for Lymm to eat into Vale’s lead with a late unconverted try.
Early in the second half Lymm’s threequarters caught the Vale flat footed with an unconverted try from their potent left winger. Another well directed forward rumble from the Vale resulted in another try for the predatory James Robinson in the fiftieth minute which Ryan Busby converted.
Vale saw their 28-20 lead disappear in the sixtieth and sixty third minutes when the “Cheshire Set” ran in two tries, one of which was converted.
Suddenly the Vale found themselves chasing the game but remained calm and their spirits were lifted when Ryan Busby streaked away for a popular and deserved try which he converted with ten minutes remaining. Five minute later an unconverted try from Lee Starkey cemented an important psychological victory for the Vale.
Considering the assortment of players who trotted out of the changing rooms this was a most laudable performance from an unlikely mix of individuals who, apart from the odd lapse, showed tremendous spirit throughout.
At the other end of the rugby spectrum Oliver Holroyd proved to be a young player of immense promise, full of boundless energy. In addition Kyle Dempsey was in fine form after his exploits with Heysham Atoms.
Considering all the behind the scenes happenings it was amazing that the seconds nailed down their first Cotton Traders Championship game of the season in far from ideal conditions on a well prepared Crem Pitch that had Vale’s hardy band of supporters searching high and low for shelter.
With Storm Callum still making its presence felt and the size of the playing surface everything pointed in the direction of a tight tactical game and this was the message which bounced off the changing room walls. Unfortunately the wind whipped these thoughts away because the Vale opened proceedings by flinging the ball about without a care in the world, but when a pass was dropped common sense prevailed.
The game then developed into a tactical battle which revolved around Vale’s dominant pack and Lymm’s dangerous threequarters.
Vale quickly gained the high ground in the forward exchanges with Bulgarian International Petar Alexov, who was in the thick of action throughout and an imposing figure, he was instrumental in setting up the first try for Jordan Fern after he was halted just short of the line with Jordan Fern being the first to react. Ryan Busby, who had a most effective game at fly half, kicked the conversion from a difficult angle in the fourth minute.
Although the Vale had created the perfect opening Lymm came back strongly and by the eighteenth minute had established a 10-7 lead with a penalty goal and a converted try.
However, Vale’s forwards successfully regained control of the situation. James Robinson, who produced a towering performance, was ideally placed to dot the ball down after the pack had trundled the Lymm eight backwards twenty metres, Ryan Busby converted on the twenty fourth minute.
As the game moved into added time the Vale’s industrious pack were awarded a penalty try after Lymm had collapsed a scrum. There was still enough time left on the referee’s chronometer for Lymm to eat into Vale’s lead with a late unconverted try.
Early in the second half Lymm’s threequarters caught the Vale flat footed with an unconverted try from their potent left winger. Another well directed forward rumble from the Vale resulted in another try for the predatory James Robinson in the fiftieth minute which Ryan Busby converted.
Vale saw their 28-20 lead disappear in the sixtieth and sixty third minutes when the “Cheshire Set” ran in two tries, one of which was converted.
Suddenly the Vale found themselves chasing the game but remained calm and their spirits were lifted when Ryan Busby streaked away for a popular and deserved try which he converted with ten minutes remaining. Five minute later an unconverted try from Lee Starkey cemented an important psychological victory for the Vale.
Considering the assortment of players who trotted out of the changing rooms this was a most laudable performance from an unlikely mix of individuals who, apart from the odd lapse, showed tremendous spirit throughout.
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