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FIRST'S FLUCTUATING FORTUNES.

FIRST'S FLUCTUATING FORTUNES.

Stuart Vernon17 May 2015 - 11:11
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A new page was turned pre season, necessary corrections were made as the months ticked by but it was very much a case of work in progress.

North One West.
2014/15: P26 W10 D1 L15 F580 A569 BP20 Pts 62.
2013/14: P26 W10 D4 L12 F675 A560 BP16 Pts 64.

Following two unbeaten warm up games, at Whitehaven, 29-12 and at home against Stoke on Trent, 48-26, the league season began with a local derby at home against Kirkby Lonsdale which resulted in a 39-10 victory and the unveiling of a game plan that eschewed kicking but placed great emphasis on running the ball from virtually anywhere, very exciting of course on a balmy late summer afternoon, but could produce a touch of the vapours for those of a nervous disposition as the season progressed.

Over at Eccles there was a great deal of eye rolling but the Vale stuttered their way to a 28-21 win at Gorton Street. Both Birkenhead Park at home and Wilmslow away had enough nous to handle freewheeling opponents and ended Vale's winning run, 27-22, and 39-31 respectively.

It was back to winning ways at home against Bolton, 29-20, but a dithering performance at Penrith, where kicks at goal were declined at the alter of running rugby, resulted in a 17-15 loss and the debates rumbled on far into the night. However, the smiles returned following a 33-23 home win against New Brighton but up at Kendal the Cumbrians had done their homework and the Vale were picked off rather too easily in the second half, eventually going down, 39-19.

Vale began November brightly enough with two home wins, 25-20 against Carlisle and Wigton 81-12, which was their highest league points total since they won 63-6 at Anselmians in January 2013, before the portcullis came clanging down on their aspirations.

A 19-14 defeat at Broughton Park in November was the first of nine consecutive losses. Included in this house of horrors show were three games when the Vale failed to score any points, 7-0 at home against Eccles, 6-0 over at Bolton and 22-0 when hosting Penrith.

The long dark days of winter continued to drag on. Birkenhead Park, the eventual champions, inflicted the heaviest league defeat on the Vale, 52-14, since they lost at Wigton, 44-21 in February 2012.

The inability to halt the decline drained morale, sapped creativity as the squad struggled to get the monkey off their backs and a woeful performance contributed to a 43-23 defeat at New Brighton which hoisted the relegation warning cones.

By rights, physically and mentally the Vale appeared in no condition to take on promotion chasing Kendal in the middle of February but they had a two week break to sort things out and put matters right. Words must have been said, cards placed face up on the table, home truths spelled out, because they caused the upset of the season when they put a dent in the Hornets' promotion hopes with a thrilling 27-6 victory in the Vale's stellar performance of the season.

Although six more league games remained the nightmare was over, the spectre of relegation shifted into the shadows and a stumbling 7-6 win at Carlisle, the only double of the season, helped to settle the nerves but there was one more visit to a black room awaiting in Cumbria. Wigton, who were already destined to be relegated, won their third and final game of the season 19-12 against a Vale side that failed to match the terrier like qualities and game management skills of the home side, which thoroughouly deserved their victory.

In their final four games the Vale only lost one at Kirby Lonsdale, 39-26 in their last outing in a contest full of snap, crackle and pop; two home wins were registered against Broughton Park, 31-14 and Warrington, 34-14 and a 22-22 draw at Widnes.

It had undoubtedly been a challenging season and this was reflected in the total number of players, including replacements who either played in the league games, the warms ups, plus those who started the fixture against Widnes which was subsequently abandoned following an injury to James Curran. Fifty six players stepped over the whitewash, the same as in the 2007/08 season when the Vale were relegated from North Two West, and twenty one made full debuts.

Skipper Sam Wallbank played in all the games, Billy Swarbrick 27 plus one as a replacement, Ben Dorrington, 24 and Adam Macluskie 22+R. In the high teens of appearances were, Paul McLaren-Dorrington, 19+6R, Rob Lamberton, 19+2R, Dan Baines, 19, Ross Pillow, 18+7R, Charlie Lomas, 18+R, James Hesketh, 18, Alex Baines, 17+R, Andrew Garnett, 17+R and Ben Charnley, 17.

Joint leading try scorers were Sam Wallbank and Rob Lamberton with 11 each. Ben Dorrington was the leading points scorer, his total of 104 comprising 8 tries, 23 conversions and 6 penalties. Included in a total of 104 tries, from all games, were 4 penalty tries. There were 59 conversions and 12 penalties and 12 yellow cards.

An alarming number of long term injuries certainly affected the composition of the side. Prop James Hesketh's season ended on January 24, the ebullient, versatile threequarter Tom Ball did not play after the Broughton Park game in November, James Curran's injury in November against Widnes curtailed his playing career. Ben Charnley missed a number of games with a niggling ankle injury, while Ben Dorrington, Alex and Dan Baines, Mike Barker were all sidelined at various times with injuries.

Family work commitments meant that Phil Berry could only play in a handful of games at the start of the season. On the plus side Andy Powers returned at the beginning of January for his first game since November 2013 when he sustained an injury which required surgery; it would be fair to say that this player, who gives his all to the cause, was badly missed.

Players like Billy Swarbrick and Jack Ayrton had to step up to the plate and against Eccles at home ten of the squad were twenty one and under. During the course of the season the Vale were able to call on the services of a number of experienced players including former captains, Ian Bird, who made 14 appearances and Neil Bennetts. There were valuable contributions from Andrew Garnett, Malcolm Fowler and coach Fergus Owens, who helped to ease the burden on some young shoulders.

Opportunities to stake a claim were plentiful following the departure of players at the end of last season and certainly Coach Fergus Owens had a full card of runners and riders to choose from including a stable full of talented Colts.

Quite a few of the debutants caught the eye including the aforementioned Rob Lamberton, a graceful, well balanced, nimble footed, game breaking threequarter. Chris Weeks was deceptively fast when counter attacking from full back and Charlie Lomas looked at home in any position in the backs and kicked 20 conversions.

Tom Crookall, with an excellent second team curriculum vitae, fully lived up to his reputation as a try scoring, in your face threequarter. He played in the final two games of the season, scoring a try in each of them; definitely a player to watch for the future. Mike Barker, primarily a forward, was totally committed whatever position he was asked to play in, but injuries interrupted his quest for a regular slot.

Jack Ayrton came off the bench on ten occasions but it was all part of the learning process for this talented young player. Ben Dorrington who joined from Hull RUFC during the close season and has strong family links with the Vale, did not have many outings in his favoured position in the back row but he proved to be a most resolute, uncompromising threequarter.

A clutch of familiar names were included in the match programme for the opening league game of the season. Sam Wallbank, after a spell at Preston Grasshoppers returned to captain the side, Daniel Baines, who had sampled the world of professional rugby at Sale Sharks and Rotherham Titans, brought with him a wealth of experience and did Paul McLaren-Dorrington from Blaydon. Later in the season Oliver Carter rejoined the club from Preston Grasshoppers to add some balance to the back division.

Rightly so the jury is still out on the 2014/15 season, a degree of comfort can be taken from the final league position, ground was not lost but conversely none was gained but in a season of regeneration, was this no bad thing? Had the Vale found their level?

The much talked about fresh approach was rolled out in the opening games. There was nothing revolutionary about the concept of running rugby, keeping the ball in hand and not kicking possession aimlessly away but such gambits do make huge demands on the players. Fitness is a vital cornerstone, skill levels have not only to be above average but will be required to be executed at high speed. Buying into to such a concept means that players have to accept personal responsibility in the decision making process, not just to recognise their limitations but to aim to improve all aspects if their game.

In the beginning Plan A worked well but as the Autumn leaves started to change and tumble it became evident that the Vale's approach had been scrutinised by their up coming opponents and they were fully prepared, ready and waiting with a script of their own to put into operation.

Vale remained true to their word but they started to be picked off and as the season dragged on it was obvious that alterations would have to be implemented if the tides of defeat were to be deflected because the Vale were in real danger of going under.

Visible changes were made after the low water mark at New Brighton. Mad cap, ping pong rugby, was replaced by a more pragmatic approach. Kicking for position and to relieve pressure was encouraged, solid platforms were built before the ball was whizzed out, over ambitious passing, while never really disappearing, reduced the risk levels and apart from the pig's ear of a performance at Wigton, the season ended on an optimistic note.

During the coming months there are many avenues to explore, many questions to answer, but unlike Schubert, Dickens, Turner, who all left some of their works unfinished, the Vale of Lune have to continue to build, adapt and progress realistically with a vision of the future that captured the imagination.

Further reading