Wirral 52 Vale of Lune 19: Five second-half tries take away the game from injury-hit Vale.

Vale of Lune were beaten 52-19 when they travelled to Wirral, another of the NW1 League’s high rollers, writes BARRY LEES.

With league points hard to come by in recent weeks, the last news that head coach Mark Goodman needed was the non-availability of six regularly-selected players on Saturday.

However, that setback created a first XV debut for Lancashire U18 player Harry Stainton who joined his former Vale Colts colleague, Isaac Cook, in the three-quarter line.

Wirral took control from the start, pressing Vale back in their own half.

The breakthrough came when Wirral scored to the right of the posts, quickly followed by another try before Vale earned some possession.

They manoeuvred rucks and mauls to the left corner for Sam Walton to score and Alex Briggs to add the conversion, with the visiting support breathing a sigh of relief.

Wirral were well-drilled and consistent, proving difficult to dispossess in the breakdowns.

Their third try came as no surprise, but Vale kept focus as Walton added his second to leave them 19-12 adrift at half-time.

Alex Ryder and Archie Fowler came on to bolster Vale’s forward effort, but Wirral unleashed their potent backline to good effect.

A long ball into the right corner bounced favourably before it was taken at speed to score a fourth try.

That launched an onslaught of five Wirral tries in 25 minutes, with Vale struggling to contain this barrage as their hosts always seemed to have an extra man in support of the ball carrier.

Vale kept to the plan though and earned a spell of possession in the Wirral half.

Discipline was maintained as they controlled the scrum and patiently drove it over the line at the feet of Sam Wallbank, who dived on it to score.

Briggs added two more points before a late surge offered a chance of a fourth try and, with it, a league point - but it was denied to them.

Next up for Vale is Saturday’s home game against another old rival, Blackburn (2.15pm)

Vale of Lune: Crompton, Bradshaw, Butler, Sutcliffe, Goodman, Verlaque, Ayrton, Wallbank, Swarbrick, Briggs, McGarvey, Walton, Stainton, Cook, Clifton. Replacements: Fowler, Bradshaw, Ryder, Briston.