Vale of Lune 16-0 Blackburn

Like a scene from The Birds, pitch invasion.
Vale v Blackburn — Like a scene from The Birds, pitch invasion. Vale v Blackburn

After twelve minutes the Vale opened the scoring with a Ben Dorrington penalty goal but it was Blackburn who took up the baton with a dangerous break down the right involving full back Sean Hall and winger Matt Hughes.

Close handling from Adam Foxcroft, and Tom Crookall forced Blackburn to retreat followed by a high stepping run from Al Crookall deep into the visitor’s twenty two.

A Ben Dorrington run swept towards Blackburn’s line, a ten metre scrum had Blackburn defending and when the ball was shipped wide it went to ground.

However, the Vale had done enough in this spell to draw a penalty which Dorrington kicked in the 28th minute.

Just before the interval Dan Baines was led off with a nose injury but such is the multifaceted composition of the Vale squad they were able to realign their front row with players of the required technical ability.

Coach Paul McLaren-Dorrington rang the changes at half time but such is the quality to be found on the bench the Vale hardly missed a beat and subjected Blackburn to a severe examination in the opening quarter.

In the 52nd minute Blackburn’s efforts to halt a churning drive tested the officials patience and the Vale were awarded a penalty try, their second of the season, converted by Dorrington.

Blackburn repulsed numerous Vale attacks but eventually they had to content themselves with a Dorrington penalty in the 64th minute.

A disciplined Vale dealt with dangerous phases, either from close range scrums or from players darting around the fringes, but the tackling was excellent, somehow the ball was smuggled clear at decisive moments, and with the composed Jack Turton able to thrash the ball downfield, Blackburn’s aspirations were neutralised in what was an energising conclusion to a contest that defied the pre-match prognostications.

nVale’s multi national second team defeated Stockport 2 at home, 21-10, and although conditions were hardly suited to Barbarians’ style rugby they consolidated their position in second place in Conference B.

The thirds lost at home 10-0 to Penrith in a club fixture, while Carnforth 1 retained the Andrew Crowe Memorial Shield with a 29-3 home win against Vale 4 in a league game.

On Saturday Vale play a rearranged North One West fixture against Carlisle at a  venue to be confirmed in Cumbria.