The away game syndrome struck with a vengeance ahead of the trip to Birkenhead Park and created havoc with Coach Dan Rainford’s preparations, at one juncture on Saturday morning only nine players were pencilled in on the team sheet. A combination of gentle persuasion and the importance of fulfilling the fixture enabled Dan to travel with fourteen players, but thanks to his dedication to the club the fixture went ahead.

Back in September the seconds had defeated Park at Powderhouse Lane, 53-16, but out of the squad that contested that fixture only three, Paul Scott, Alex Batson and Matt Field trotted out at The Upper Park. Four players were making their debuts, Will Horner, James Walker, who, because the Vale were a man short, had to cover both wing berths, a energy sapping exercise in itself, Wes Kendal and another highly promising member of the Squirrel family, Luke, who played with distinction in the number nine shirt, despite the mayhem that was going on around him. A total of 52 players have represented the seconds so far this term.

Vale made an encouraging start but fell behind to an early penalty goal from the educated boot of the home side’s full back. Playing up the slope the seconds drew level with a long range penalty from Ryan Busby but with Park’s powerful forwards tightening an iron grip on the game, points were added a regular intervals and by half time they had galloped over the horizon and were out of sight.

Ryan Busby slotted a second half penalty but a tiring Vale defence were unable to plug all the gaps. Overall it was a defiant performance from the seconds, they did Dan and the club proud, Dan did a magnificent job in an assembling a squad who are to be congratulated on stepping up to the plate.

Next Saturday is a blank date which might be an appropriate time to assess not only the playing strength but also of player’s commitment ahead of the away fixture at Kendal on November 30, hopefully by them the virus will have disappeared.

Many thanks to Reg Robinson for his notes from the front line.