Vale of Lune senior colts bounced back from their first defeat of the season last week, with a comfortable victory away at Ellesmere Port. The players responded well to captain for the day O’Donnell and were out of the blocks at pace and had a score on the board after 3 minutes, Harris with a text book kick off enabled Clarkson to win the ball and charge into Ports 22, the ball was moved wide, but Sharples stopped short of the line, from the resulting five metre scrum Clarkson surged over. 

Due to poor discipline at ruck and maul, the next ten minutes were all Port as Vale gave away a succession of penalties, resulting in Port taking a six points to five lead.

On nineteen minutes Vale retook the lead after strong runs from Swinden and Clarkson, the ball was moved wide for Jones to power over in the corner. Vale were now beginning to dominate with Jeffereys and Hall regularly stealing line out ball, and McRae, Martin and Coulton working hard in the loose, after a period of sustained pressure and some resolute defence from Port, Vale again decided to move it wide this time Katsande finished well after a looping pass from Whyke found Sharples who put the winger away, to give Vale a half time lead of Fifteen points to six.

Vale again started well after a probing kick from Harris the forwards worked the ball through several phases with Tomlinson in the thick of the action, Jones who performed well all afternoon burrowed over from close range for his second try. Vale again took their foot off the gas for ten minutes, allowing port to get back into the game due to a series of missed tackles with a converted try.

Vale where further disrupted when the influential Clarkson and Whyke had to leave the field with injuries, but Fawcett and Lebaldi as all the other replacements did, stepped up to the mark with confident displays, which allowed Vale to finish strongly, again Vale had success moving the ball wide with Albieri making a try scoring debut after a strong run from Newton and good handling from Harris, O’Donnell and Jones, Fawcett converting to complete the scoring.

Although this wasn’t the colts best performance of the season it was a positive response to last weeks defeat, and has got their season back on track, Clarkson was again awarded the man of the match award after an all action display, Hatton and Tomlinson performed strongly in the second half, and Swinden, Jones and Hall played with commitment and set a great example for eighty minutes.

Team: A Newton, C Jones (2T), S Sharples, J O’Donnell (capt), G Katsande (1T), D Harris, J Whyke, B Coulton, R Martin, S McRae, D Jeffereys, S Tomlinson, M Hall, D Swinden, S Clarkson (1T). Replacements – R O’Brien, J Eldin, E Hatton, L Pye, K Woodhead, R Fawcett (1C), M Clark, A Albieri (1T), A Lebaldi.

            Vale of Lune Senior Colts produced their worst performance of the season which coincided with their first defeat of the season, but credit must go to Anselmians who played to their coaches game plan and played with a tough and physical approach.  Kick Off was delayed by 30minutes due to the away side being stuck in the motorway traffic but when they arrived warmed up with purpose whilst the Vale lads seemed to be in cruise mode expecting another victory against a team who only had 15 players. From the start it was clear that Anselmians had come for the win and to claim top spot in League E.

  Personal changes prior to the game seemed to make a difference to the Vale with Whyke, who was injured playing for the second team the day before, having to start on the bench and Newton having to fill in at scrum half with Clark at fullback. The Vale lads started quiet and found themselves 3-0 down to a penalty from the influential fly half, who went on to spoil the Vale’s day by scoring a further 2 tries in the first half. Despite courageous tackling from Hall, Sharples and McRae Vale were unable to stop a flowing Anselmians side who despite the awful conditions under foot made rugby look easy a half time score of 24-0 to the visitors.

  A half time talk and 4 substitutions seemed to buck the Vale’s ideas up and started they second half the stronger and managed to put some good phases of play together and this resulted in Clarkson powering over for a well worked try. Anselmians soon hit back with a break away try of their own taking the score to 31-7 in the visitors favour and seemingly out of reach for the Vale lads. 3 more substitutions from the Vale coach again spurred on the home team and again fresh legs proved to mean a lot more with Aspinall driving over from short range after some good forwards play, Harris missing the conversion from in front of the posts to cap off a very poor display from the Vale team.

  Despite the poor performance their was some positives, Vale’s scrum and lineout was solid throughout and the forward can take heart from this but a big stand out of the day was number 8 Sam Clarkson who never gave up and proved that he is a defiantly a First Team number 8 in future years. A final score of Vale 12 Anselmians 31 did justice to the professional approach from the away side and leave Vale licking their wounds and knowing that this performance has to be removed from their armoury and with next weeks trip to Ellsemere Port looming large where nothing more than a win will do. Vale, Anselmians and Bolton are all now joint top of League E with 13 points, but with Vale’s points difference poorer than the other two teams it shows them sitting 3rd.

Vale- Clark, Pye, Sharples, Jones, Woodhead, Harris (1C), Newton, Clarkson (1T), Hall, Edlin, Hatton, Tomlinson, McRae, Martin and Coulton. Subs- Aspinall (1T), Jeffreys, Lebaldi, Swinden, Katsande, Fawcett and Whyke.

Vale of Lune Senior Colts travelled to top of the table Bolton in what was going to be the toughest battle of the season so far, it would also go along way to proving who would gain the upper hand in the title race so soon into the season.

 The opening exchanges proved that Vale and Bolton were equal in most departments and proved that they were by far the two best teams in League E for the season. Vale demolished the home sides scrum on regular occasions with the front row of Watson, McRae and Coulson causing problems to their opposite numbers. With 25minutes gone a turnover from the influential Clarkson followed by a piece of magic from scrum half Whyke proved to much for the Bolton defence, throwing an outrageous dummy and beating four defenders before going over underneath the posts for the opening score, Harris converting.

 With half time looming a break by the hardworking Edlin gave Harris and Sharples a two on one which they could not execute, to the frustration of the coaching staff, this allowing Bolton to counter attack and within seconds the home side had broke down to the other end and scored a converted try taking the half time score to 7-7.

 The second half could not have started worse for Vale, from the kick off a couple of mistakes by the away side allowed Bolton in for an unconverted try. It was at this point Vale had to show their character and come from behind, a situation they had not found themselves in all season. After a period of scrappy play Vale started to build themselves into the game again with substitute Katsande intercepting from the halfway and sprinting away from the defenders to touchdown in the corner, Harris holding his nerve for a successful conversion from the touchline taking Vale ahead 14-12 with less than 10minutes remaining. From the kick off Vale gave a penalty away and some indiscipline from Newton allowing Bolton to take the 3 points and the lead 15-14.

 This seemed to spur Vale into life and proceeded to play the best rugby of the day, with Jeffreys, Lebaldi and Man of the Match Hall tackling any Bolton player that came in their direction and with Sharples making some telling runs in attack the pressure increased on Bolton who with 2 minute remaining gave a penalty away in the red zone, the Bolton player binned for his sins. Without hesitation Harris called for the kicking tee and slotted it home sending the Vale players and supporters into raptures.

 Vale came of the pitch knowing that a score line of 17-15 was justified despite the poor performance but if the lads are to taste silverware this season, this performance has to be a one off.

 Team (scorers in brackets)- Newton, Sharples, Jones, O’Donnell, Clark, Harris (2C 1P), Whyke (1T), Clarkson, Hall, Edlin, Jeffreys, Hatton, Coulson, McRae, Watson. Subs- Lebaldi, Martin, Aspinall, Katsande (1T), Pye and Woodward.

 On what was meant to be a free weekend for the Vale of Lune Senior Colts a friendly fixture was arranged by the coaching team against an Eccles side who play their trade 2 league above the Vale outfit in League C, the decision to entertain Eccles was to find out where the Vale side were and give them much needed experience ready for the assault on Cup competition later in the season where they could be drawn against anyone in the North West Raging Bull Colts League, and it was a performance that could send messages through the leagues!

 The coaching team had the luxury of 26 players to choose from and with it being a friendly rolling substitution were the added ingredient of the day allowing every player to get much needed game time under their belts and also giving the opportunity to see players in different positions.

 Vale started at a blistering pace and for the whole of the first half showed why they are the talk of the club at the moment with the forwards demolishing the oppositions scrum and Hatton winning several lineout’s against the head allowing the half back combination of Whyke and Harris to cause havoc in the opposition line, the later having the best game of his season so far. Tries came at a steady rate in the first half with some quality play through O’Donnell, leading the team for the first time today, Jones and Newton giving a half time score of a very healthy looking 34-0.

In the second half Eccles upped their game and it was the turn of the Vale to show that defence can win games, solid tackling by Clarkson, Tomlinson, Edlin, and Woodhead limited Eccles to only 1 try in 15minutes of pressure. Vale then burst into attacking life with 10minutes to play and with Harris again at the forefront of every play Vale ran in 2 more tries to seal what was a comprehensive win.

 Its back to league action next weekend for the Senior Colts with the top of the table clash at Bolton in what could already be tipped as a title decider in League E despite it being so early in the campaign. With a win against a side 2 leagues higher Vale now to need to take what was their best performance of the season so far and build even more!

 Team- Sharples, Lebaldi, Jones, O’Donnell, Katsande, Harris, Whyke, Clarkson, Hall, Edlin, Tomlinson, Hatton, McRae, Martin and Watson. Subs- Aspinall, Coulton, Jeffreys, Swinden, Tagg, Pye, Clark, Woodhead, Atkinson, Newton, Fawcett.

 Tries- Jones (2), O’Donnell, Harris, Clarkson, Hatton, McRae and Newton.

Cons- Whyke (2) and Harris (2).

 Vale of Lunes colts 1^st visit to Clitheroe in their history produced an entertaining game, with the final score line a fine reward for some attractive play from the vale, but didn’t really do justice to a spirited Clitheroe outfit that will surely turn sides over in the league this season.

 Vale were quick out of the blocks being 12 points up in 5 minutes, through a piece of quick thinking by Wyke who darted over from a penalty under the posts, from the restart Wykes box kick was collected by Katsande who showed great pace to finish in the corner.

 On 25 minutes it was that man again as Wyke burrowed over after a period of sustained pressure by the Vale forwards who retained the ball through several phases with Eldin, McRae, Tomlinson and Jeffereys prominent.

 This was followed by a period of pressure from Clitheroe, where the Vale showed great character and determination in keeping their line intact, the tackling of Tagg, Hall, McRae and skipper Newton was of the highest order during this rear guard and prominent through out.

 The deadlock was broken with a fine break by Harris who drew the full back and fed Newton to score, on the stroke of half time Vale scored their 5^th try when the powerful running O’Donnell broke the line and good handling from Newton and Tagg resulted in Jefferey scoring in the corner.

 The second half proved to be a much more competitive, with Clitheroe raising their game significantly, the half started with Swinden making a surging forty metre break stopped only by a great cover tackle from the Clitheroe winger, Eldin who worked tirelessly throughout was in support and was held up over the line. The strong running Clitheroe centre then broke out of defence and looked sure to score, until Newton appeared from no where to scythe him down just short of the line.

 Vale scored their 6^th try after twenty minutes of the half after strong running from O’Donnell and Tagg, Martin showed great awareness sneaking over on the blind side, Clitheroe again responded with a period of pressure, this time their prop was allowed to power over for a deserved score.

 Vale finished the game with two contrasting but quality scores, the first saw the improving Harriss dance through several defenders before rounding the full back to score in the corner, the second was a real team effort after the several phases slick passing from Wyke, Hall and Martin saw McRae score in the corner.

 Man of the Match Wyke added five conversions to complete the scoring, and is now almost back to his best after a serious knee injury, O’Donnell, Tagg and Eldin were also influential through out.

Team:

Murphy(Pye 40), Woodhead, Newton, O’Donnell, Katsande, Harris, Wyke, Watson (Martin 30), McRae, Eldin, Jeffereys (Hatton 60), Tomlinson, Hall, Swinden, Tagg.