For their opening game of the season the Vale returned from a damp Rochdale reflecting on what might have been following a below par performance which contained too many errors.

Vale made an encouraging start, moving the ball around but were unable to find the necessary cutting edge to penetrate Rochdale's defence and they fell behind to a penalty goal. However, in the fourteenth minute Mike Barker displayed great perseverance when he went foraging for the ball to claim a try converted by Nick Walker.

Rochdale forced themselves back into contention when unusually a Vale scrum parted to leave a clear passage for Rochdale's scrum half to post a try which was converted. The half did end on an optimistic note for the Vale when James Curran, who was in superb form throughout and posed a huge threat whenever he received the ball, set off on an elusive forty metre run that ended between the posts which Walker converted.

In the fifty third minute Rochdale's number nine pounced on a Vale error to nudge his side into the lead with an unconverted try. Six minutes later Curran struck again with another sweeping streamlined run for his second try, again converted by Walker.

Unfortunately the Vale were unable to extend or consolidate their lead and fell behind in bizarre circumstances. Rochdale's centre made a searing break but then had the misfortune to trip himself up, before the Vale could react to the situation the home side's cavalry arrived en masse to continue the move which ended in a converted try.

Although the Vale mounted a number attacks they were either unable to press them home or to bring Curran, a potential match winner into the action. As the game was drawing to a close another error led to Rochdale's final try to conclude what had been a disjointed performance from the visitors ahead of a testing home game against Macclesfield seconds on Saturday.

Vale A: N Walker; J Curran, J Antcliffe, M Barker, W Blyth; K Doyle, H Bartle; J Stevens, S Harrison, O Cowey; A Foxcroft, D Rainford; R Mudd, E Wallace, T Cvijanovic. Replacements: R Needham, T Summers, G McSporran.