Decisions had to be made ahead of the Vale’s fixture against Altrincham Kersal, and everything centred on the condition of the playing surfaces. At 9.00 am, the Chairman of Ground, Gerald Bird, cast an experienced, but sceptical eye, over the puddles. He was joined by Fixture Secretary Fred Swarbrick, who was optimistic that the game would go ahead but it was decided to call in a referee to give his verdict.
Steve Ralston was dragged away from his cornflakes and after poking and prodding thought there was a fifty fifty chance of the game going ahead. Gerald then set to work for a couple of hours or so with his trusty fork before beginning his ground duty rota, but did find time in his busy schedule to tuck into one of the Clubhouse Manger’s steak and kidney puddings. How’s that for dedication!
All his efforts were rewarded because the playing surface was declared fit by referee Alan Blackburn, who said he had played on worse, but conditions suggested that it would be a day for the so called “donkeys.”
The mud larks duly obliged in a low scoring game with skipper and hooker Phil Watson leading from the front and delighting his fellow forwards by taking two against the head. Props Matt Field and initially Alex Morrison until he was replaced by John Hodkinson, provided both a platform and stability, and behind them Adam Foxcroft and Dan Rainford were veritable power houses.
Sometimes the difference between victory and defeat in tight games is linked to the performance of the back row and the Vale’s trio of Scott Foy, Isaac Turton and Rhys Randal were outstanding like a marauding, scavenging pack of hungry wolves.
Behind a robust eight, half backs Liam Power and Sean Coulshed were in harmony throughout a testing encounter with Power acting at times like an auxiliary wing forward, while Coulshed’s tactical kicking not only pushed the visitors back but brought much appreciated relief to the hard working forwards.
Centres Andy Power and Jimmy Birchall were rock solid, their tackling vigorously uncompromising but in the heavy going they had few opportunities to show their paces. There was a similar frustrating situation for wingers Andy Muir and the fast improving Chris Jones or his replacement Rhodri Bowen.
Jamie Antcliffe set his stall out at full back from the opening whistle, rock solid under pressure with some of his relieving kicks pegging Altrincham Kersal back, and away from the red zone for long periods.
In a physically demanding encounter chances were few and far between, and the only try of the game was scored by Andy Muir in the first half in what was a pretty dour game on a churning pitch that proved to be a great leveller for both sides. Referee Blackburn encouraged play to flow but was quick to remind the players who was in charge when tempers looked like boiling over.
With Phil Watson now captaining the side ably assisted by Team Manager Tony Gilmour, and an experienced back room team of Lee Farnworth, Paul Antcliffe and Dave Harrison, the Vale, who are in second place in the table, entertain Stockport 2 on Saturday hoping to reverse a defeat over at Bramhall at the beginning of January, are developing into a well-oiled side in the prestigious Bateman BMW Premier League Conference B.
Vale A: J Antcliffe; A Muir, A Power, J Birchall, C Thomas; S Coulshed, L Power; A Morrison, P Watson (Capt), M Field; A Foxcroft, D Rainford; S Foy, I Turton, R Randall. Replacements: J Hodkinson, R Bowen.