PRICELESS POINTS PROCURED AT POWNALL PARK

WILMSLOW  19    VALE OF LUNE  20
NORTH TWO WEST

When John and Geoff gaily tripped across the car park at Wilmslow, not a Roller or Baby Bentley in sight by the way, John's footwear became a topic for discussion.
'You look like a lounge lizard,' observed Geoff.
But John Gill had not travelled to Wilmslow to shimmy around cocktail parties with a silver cigarette holder firmly gripped between gleaming molars and his hair sleeked down. He had come to meet old friends and enjoy a game of rugby.

After the game in Wilmslow's cosy committee room he and his former adversaries chatted about old times, in particular those who had crossed swords in the wild frontier, with its own rules, that belongs to the front five and no one else. But despite knocking lumps of each other it was all kept within 'the family'. This was illustrated when one gentleman said he had played against John in the fifties.
'Did I twat you?' asked John
'No. I played on the wing'
'That's alright,' said John. 'You would have been too far away!'
Humour amongst thieves: but of course in those black and white days nobody bowled bouncers at ten and eleven, and when a goal was scored at soccer sometimes the player received a pat on the back.

It is also extremely doubtful the players in John's era went through such elaborate pre match preparations. Vale came out early and went through a series of moves played at full throttle, mud flying in all directions, knees and shirts picking up a layer of dirt. At least this unopposed session produced no alarms unlike the one encountered by a touring side down under.
The coach arranged for a full work out, stategically placing dust bins around a car park. Unfortunately the warm up ended early with the dust bins leading 15-0.

Vale were therefore fired up straight from kick off. Ian Bird was back after injury, having emptied the freezer of raw meat during his six week absence and soon the adrenalin was pumping as he clattered through anyone who stood in his way. Welcome back Ian.

Danny Lin opened the scoring with a try from close range followed by a penalty goal from Andy Miller all inside the opening ten minutes. If the Vale imagined it was going to be a stroll in a misty park they were rudely awakened when the highly acclaimed home side's number eight, Chris Davies, touched down after a well worked back row move; Bob MacCallum converted in the thirteenth minute.
With the floodlights on and referee Lee's LED flashing away at the top of his shorts it would have come as no surprise if a Boeing 737 had not come roaring through the gloom looking for the flight path to Manchester Airport. But it was the Vale who discovered the correct runway for further points.

Neil Bennetts thumped a drop goal attempt against an upright that left it quivering and as the bruise was appearing, Danny Lin scooped the ball up and went over for his try, Andy Miller converted. Just before half time Andy Miller chased down a clever kick from John Bleasdale to score wide out.

Vale began the second half in a confident mood but in the sixty third minute a try from Chris Lee created a tinkling of alarm bells which increased in volume nine minutes later when Dan Hargreaves darted over after a forward surge, Bob MacCallum converted and those home supporters who had travelled to Whitchurch began to sense another victory snatched from the jaws of defeat script.

Fortunately, the Vale did not panic; they slowly trussed Wilmslow up deep in their own half and with Dave Bennetts clicking away on the touchline, knit one purl one, nothing further unravelled and Malcolm Fowler was able to celebrate his 250th appearance with a vital victory.

Didsbury was quiet on the way back, the students were still enjoying home cooking, so there was ample room in 'The Slug and Lettuce' while over at 'The Railway' on the big screen, Liverpool floundered to defeat, Sale snatched victory, and when the karaoke fired up the Alies treated the locals to a bellowing chorus of 'Sweet Valerie,' the 'Good Times never seemed so good' and James Bryan clutched his bottle of 'Red Red Wine'

VALE OF LUNE  A.Miller, J.Bryan, A.Garnett, J.Curran,I.Bird,  N.Bennetts (Capt), J.Bleasdale, P.Jackson, D.Schuyler, D.Halliwell (Rep A.Cowey 79), M.Speight, D.Perry, L.Ford (Rep M.Whittaker 48), D.Lin, M.Fowler.