The Vale have been building impressively towards their first league victory of the season, and even though they experienced a few hiccups when the game moved to uncontested scrums, they fully merited their win which catapulted them up the table.

Not for the first time the Vale fielded a different line up from the previous week, calling on the experienced and worldly wise Paul Bolton and Dave Harrison in a pack that welcomed back James Hesketh who was playing his first game since undergoing surgery for a recurring shoulder injury.

Included in the back division was young winger James Moorby who marked his debut with two well taken tries and in the first half when he not only pulled of a try saving tackle but was strong enough to strip the ball off his opponent.

Vale started by high stepping their way to a 21-0 lead after twenty five minutes. After five minutes skipper Bob Mudd crossed for a try converted by Sean Coulshed. There was a moment of concern when Hesketh left the field but he only departed to be re-shod, he was back in time to witness Elliot Thompson thundering over for a try converted by Coulshed with an excellent.

Hesketh used his strength to good effect when he plunged over from close range for a try converted by Coulshed in the twenty fifth minute but when Altrincham Kersal lost the services of a prop and having no replacements the referee had no alternative but to implement uncontested scrums.

This situation did not exactly suit the Vale and the impetus drained rapidly from their game. The Altrincham left wing touched down for an unconverted try as the momentum began to swing in their favour, although Moorby prevented a certain try the looked far from comfotable.

Altrincham added to their score with an unconverted try in the forty seventh minute and a third in the sixty seventh minute when the hooker batted away some indifferent Vale tackling for a try to reduce the deficit to six points.

At this stage the Vale were visibly rocking against fourteen players but with six minutes remaining Moorby crashed through tackles for his try converted by Coulshed, and suddenly the Vale were breathing much easier.

Moorby sped away for his second try, which was not converted, after he had been put into space down the right flank to put the result beyond doubt.

In addition to Moorby's contribution, Matt Field was rock sold throughout, Chris Weeks impressed, Ethan Wallace made a massive impact when he came on as a replacement, Josh Whyke was an industrious number nine and Thompson was a threat every time he was given the ball.

The day however, belonged to the whole squad, the coaches, physio and a loyal band of supporters, who quietly rightly savoured the elusive first victory.

Vale A: A Melville; J Moorby, J Antcliffe, E Thompson, C Weeks; S Coulshed, J Whyke; M Field, S Harrison, P Bolton; R Mudd (Capt), S Quick; J Hesketh, P McNeil, D Harrison. Replacements used: E Wallace, N Walker.