Report by Stuart Vernon, photos by Tony North.

Despite a capricious swirling wind both the Vale of Lune and Lymm produced a highly entertaining, competitive cup tie that contained all the elements that one associates with cup rugby. There was a thread of tension throughout as all the players were aware that as in all knock out competitions the outcome was to be resolved on the day, in this case specifically with no replays, no extra time, no golden try or kicks at goal.

Consequently some of the players dug that little deeper, this was certainly noticeable the longer the game went on, and in doing so wanted to make their contribution to the cause the difference between winning and losing and a place in the next round.

Of course there were moments of tension and drama, wrong options chosen in the bubbling furnace, some streaks of over ambition, caused in the main by too much adrenalin pumping through the carburettors and clouding judgement when common sense called for a hefty boot downfield followed by a determined chase after the ball.

At the end of the day what unfolded was an absorbing tie which was not only a credit to the players but also to referee Andrew Dawson, who not only stood no nonsense but exercised a light touch on proceedings which allowed the game to flow to the satisfaction of players and supporters.

Vale, who had already secured a home victory against Lymm in December set off at cracking pace. Their forwards whipped along by skipper Lee Farnworth in the engine room of some forceful drives that successfully pinned the visitors back on their goal line. The highly destructive back row of Huw "Bruno" Marsden, Ben Charnley and Issac Turton caused mayhem as they flew off the edge of the rucks, while the backs tried hard to unlock the visitor’s defence.

Lymm remained steadfast under severe pressure, as their experienced players took control and gradually the tide began to turn. The visitor’s two lively half backs allied to strong pack, whose presence was beginning to emerge, forced the Vale back with a number of attacks that had them scurrying to head off the danger which had started to threaten. An optimistic drop goal from Lymm’s stand off flew wide of the target at the end of a most energetic first quarter.

The second twenty saw both sides battling between the respective twenty two’s, but it was not for want of trying that any clear cut chances emerged. Both sides were possibly guilty of not making full use of the wind to exert some extra pressure, but it was difficult to harness because one minute it whipped the ball way and then from a similar position the ball just hung in the air or was blown back overs the player’s heads.

An engrossing half ended with Gareth Price’s penalty goal attempt hanging in the wind and eventually falling short of the target, but ten minutes into the second half the Vale broke the deadlock with a well constructed try.

During the first half Vale’s threequarters struggled to thread together any threatening attacks, the potential was there for all to see but their two fleet footed wingers were not given the ball often enough to for an opportunity to outstrip the Lymm defence.

In their first attack of the second half everything clicked for the Vale. The ball was moved quickly crossfield, centre Jamie Antcliffe who has recently hit a rich vein of form, straightened up the line as he powered in Lymm’s twenty two before sending Kieran Doyle flashing between the posts for a try converted by Gareth Price.

A long looping Lymm kick had the Vale defending five metres from their own line but they calmly cleared the danger as the pack smuggled the ball away against their dangerous opponents who were beginning to impact on the game.

Antcliffe again featured in the Vale’s next score. With both sides now trying to gain some advantage from the gusting wind, which was still remained very much a lottery, the Vale had kicked deep into Lymm territory. The Vale forwards arrived in force, the ball was moved unceremoniously wide, Jamie Antcliffe accelerated onto a pass in a move that ended with Jamie Gibson scoring wide out on the left. From a difficult angle Gareth Price lashed the ball over in the fifty fifth minute.

Prop Tom Smith had to be replaced but Matt Field only lasted a short time and also had to be replaced by Oli Simmons as the Vale ran out of front row replacements. Before his departure Tom had earned fulsome praise from the East Terrace when his chivalry had not gone unnoticed when he spotted attending to an injured Lymm player and then attracting the referee’s attention to his stricken opponent; well done Tom! In the meantime Lymm’s stand off had put over a penalty goal in the sixty eight minute and then the scrums went to uncontested.

At the end of a contest that tested the stamina of the players there were a number of serious contenders for Vale’s man of the match award. In the back row Issac Turton worked prodigiously throughout, Ben Charnley efficiently claimed line out ball at important times, hooker Rob O’Brien put in a full shift and of course Jamie Antcliffe was the provider, but in the end the award went to prop Josh O’Donnell, who not only scrummaged convincingly against a strong opponent but was industrious in the loose and tackled with uncompromising vigour; a popular choice by his fellow players who witnessed his contributions first hand.

Overall it was a good day for Vale’s promising young prop because in the head to head with Vikings’ man of the match that wily campaigner, Simon Baines, he downed his pint of lager with time to spare.

This coming Saturday might be a blank date for the Vale but the players should be well advised not to fill in their social diary without first consulting team manger Tony Gilmour ahead of their Conference B fixture against current leaders, Burnage 2, on February 4.