Vale secured their status in the Bateman BMW Premier League next season with a dramatic last kick of the game victory at Stelfox Avenue when Kieran Doyle put over a penalty goal in the fourth agonising minute of injury time.
Although the Vale made all the running in the final quarter of the game a number of passes were dropped with the try line beckoning as the tension mounted. Replacement Alex hill appeared to have touched down for a try but the referee decided otherwise.
Eventually the home side’s line was crossed when James Curran clamped his hand firmly on a pass two race round for an unconverted try with eight minutes remaining and to cut the deficit to a couple of points. With frustration levels mounting on and off the pitch the Vale had to wait until injury time to put behind them the fears of relegation but the result leaves the hopes of Altrincham Kersal very much in the melting pot.
Altrincham Kersal opened the scoring after four minutes with a forward inspired move that led to a try converted by their talented young full back. Jamie Antcliffe put over a penalty for the Vale that had enough legs to make it over the crossbar in the twelfth minute before a booming Altringham penalty completed the first half scoring. Vale might have embarrassed the home side but a quartet of Vale penalties were badly off target to complete a half that left the Vale trailing by seven tantalising points.
Vale levelled the score in the second minute of the second half when replacement Alex Morrison picked up at the base of the scrum for a slick try converted by Doyle.
All the Vale’s good work was undone with a piece of sloppy play when they failed to react quickly enough to a tap penalty and they conceded a converted try.
As the hour mark was passed the Vale started to make inroads in Altrincham’s defence but they were inflicted by the curse of dropped passes before Curran brought victory within their grasp and Doyle’s kick nailed the result in their favour.
Debutant scrum half Arthur Hayley was named man of the match after a consummate performance, Isaac Turton played throughout with his usual commitment, lock coward Dan Rainford made his presence felt with some powerful runs, Adam Foxcroft claimed valuable line out, winger Chris Weeks showed an excellent turn of pace and prop Phil Jackson had a solid game.
Vale A: J Antcliffe; C Weeks (A Hill 58), A Macluskie, J Birchall, J Curran; K Doyle, A Hayley; P Jackson (M Field 64), P Watson (Capt), A Cowey; D Rainford, A Foxcroft; E Hatton, I Turton, D Harrison (A Morrison 40)
Man of the Match: Arthur Hayley