Vale of Lune u14's 24 v Bolton u14's 21

With severe weather warnings for rain and wind – care of Storm Jorge – we were convinced that this match would be called off. So it was with massive surprise that we got a phone call @ 8:30 telling us it was on. We arrived to find an extremely heavy pitch, with inordinately long grass. This was coupled with a full gale blowing straight off Morcambe Bay.
Vale have just finished 4th in JRC Pool ‘A’ and beat us @ home 12-31, so we knew we would have our work cut out, this was made all the worse when they won the toss and decided to play downhill, with the wind.
The initial period was very even, if anything Bolton had the better of territory but 12 minutes in a massive kick from Vale put them in the Bolton 22. After a multi-phase play Vale eventually breached Bolton’s defence but missed a tough conversion, so 5-0. Following a further very even period of play Bolton were awarded a penalty on the opposition 10mtr line, it landed in Bolton’s half and in the confusion Vale smuggled the ball to their very fast winger who ran in under the posts. The conversion made it 12-0. Then disaster, a good kick off from Bolton was returned by Vale and a knock on saw them hack the ball through for a second try under the posts; 19-0. The last play of the half saw Vale attack down the right, there was a blatant knock on, Bolton stopped but the unsighted referee let the play continue and Vale scored unopposed in the corner for a half time score of 24-0.
The start of the second half was identical, the evenly matched packs battering away around the half way line. Finally, a simply superb scrum saw scrum half Jack Good, feed fly half Archie Stocks who in turn found Louie Ramm (back after nearly a year out thru’ injury) who made around 30mtrs, when he was finally brought down the ensuing ruck saw the ball spirited to Evan Dare who crashed over. Then, one of the more bizarre moments, the regular kicker (Jack) had his foot stood on, so Josh Nicholson took on the kicking duties BUT he can’t line the ball up, so Jack sorted the tee out and Josh kicked – successfully for 24-7.
From the kick off Vale found the same issue kicking into the wind. Vale resorted to giving penalties away and Jack and Archie made them pay as intelligently taken quick penalties saw Bolton march towards Vale’s posts – helped by the ref who repeatedly moved Vale back 10mtrs. A massive surge from Daniel McGuiness looked to have scored but the ref ruled it out but gave a penalty, Josh Bentley Hughes took a quick tap dived over a heap of Vale bodies for the try, the new double act of Jack & Josh got the conversion. Now with under 4 minutes left Vale kicked, from the ensuing maul Jack fed Archie who in turn found #8 Jacob Audley. His run made the ground shake as he single handedly took the game to Vale, scattering defenders willy-nilly. Eventually Vale killed the ball and another quick penalty saw Archie touch down. The conversion (see above) made it 24-21.
There was one last play as the clock went red. Bolton recovered the kick off and headed towards the Vale line, time and again they recycled against a clearly tired Vale team, then on the Vale 22 Jack found Archie, who found Josh Nicholson, he sprinted towards the right corner but as cover came across unselfishly passed to Liam Neesham – who had made up an amazing amount of ground, he caught it but slipped in the quagmire that was that corner and spilled the ball.
So 24-21 against one of the best teams in the North West. Far and away the best performance of the season, every one of the 19 should be massively proud of taking part in a cracking game.