After their experience at Sandbach the Vale of Lune were also in a reflective mood, not necessarily about the future but what had gone before.

Before the end of September the 'fine careless rapture' of a new season had disappeared with four North Two West defeats and it became apparent that for the Vale, it was going to be a long hard season.

Excuses and reasons for the Vale's relegation from North Two West, a league that they had been involved in for 12 seasons, either when it was called North Two or when the powers that be split the North into West and East in the 2000/01 season, proliferate, but the causes of their predicament are identifiable and legitimate.

Vale experienced their own version of the 'credit crunch' as they were squeezed by the market forces around them; they managed to climb out of the bottom three on only two occasions. Eventually, being unable to find the necessary liquidity or wherewithal to fight off the predators, they were denied access to the points that would ensure the status quo.

By Christmas the indicators of future trading were there for all to see, the danger signs were flashing with like a motorway matrix. Only two league points had been accumulated out of a possible 24, but the Vale's playing record in North Two West for the whole of 2007 hardly made for comfortable bedside reading.

The home victory against Tyldesley at the end of October was the first league win since a home victory against Stoke on Trent on February 17; a loosing sequence of 11 games! A pretty uninspiring statistic that begged the question, had losing become a state of mind?

Certainly the converse would appear to apply because at the end of the 2005/06 season the Vale could not stop winning when they threaded together seven successive victories and confidence surged through the side like Etna in full flow.

It was a different story in the second half of the past season with 12 points being gleaned from a possible 20 but, of course, it was all too late. It did, however, make for a thrilling climax to the season, albeit for the wrong reasons; with the players giving their all in a common goal.

But in the end it would have taken the combined intervention powers of 'The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street', Alistair Darling and '007' to pull the Vale's irons out of the fire.

Injuries to key Vale players also affected their season. The try-scoring machine, winger James Curran was a notable absentee after picking up a cruciate knee injury at the tail end of the 2006/07 season. Neil Bennetts exacerbated an injury in the opening warm up game and did not return to the colours until he came on as a replacement against Chester at the end of January, but he played an influential role in the final eight games.

Danny Lin picked up a shoulder injury in the opening league game at New Brighton and came back against Leigh at the beginning of November. His fellow back row player Malcolm Fowler missed three early league games and carried an injury for most of the season.

Skipper Ian Bird struggled for full fitness, playing through his injuries when others would have called it a day. Eventually, even the big-hearted Ian had to admit defeat, playing his last game in a devastating home defeat by Sandbach in December.

Vale certainly missed the experience and calibre of these players and they were forced to play a number of their younger talented players but, unfortunately, they had to go head-to-head and toe-to-toe against opponents who had been round the block a few times. By the time the Vale had won their first game they had used 36 players in warm-up games, league and an Intermediate Cup tie; 12 of whom were making their debuts.

Constant chopping and changing did not help to foster continuity; neither did having 11 different combinations at scrum half and stand off.

After four straight league defeats the Vale parted company with coach Dave Kidd at the end of September. Mark Sutcliffe picked up the baton, former Vale captains, Andy Higgin and Steve Swarbrick expanded the coaching team, with Phil Stott ensuring that the fitness levels increased.

Another ex-captain, Carl Huntington, became active in and around the St Helens area in recruiting experienced players as a more rounded squad was assembled.

Gradually the season began to assume some sort of stability, but it took till the first Saturday in January before the second league win was recorded, at home against Leigh. From this point on the fight to remain in the league began in earnest and as the tide began to turn the Vale began to 'feed on hope'. Unfortunately, events elsewhere were out of their control – rivals North-wich delivered a huge body blow when they defeated Stockport at home in March.

Chesterton described 'hope as the power of being cheerful in circumstances which we know to be desperate'. For the Vale it was to become a valiant crusade to survive and in the end they failed.

Vale's inability to protect their lead showed in two games – first at New Brighton when they led 26-19 with only minutes to go, eventually losing 27-26. A similar script rolled off the press at home against Sandbach in December, when, again with the clock ticking down, the Vale had their noses in front at 20-19, but possession was lost at a line-out, allowing the visitors to scamper downfield for a converted try and a 26-20 victory.

In dreadful conditions at Rochdale the Vale were unable break down the home side's defence in a second half of relentless pounding, eventually losing 11-8. A late fight back at Broughton Park had the home side on the ropes but time ran out for the Vale in a 30-26 defeat.

Credit must be given to the Vale of Lune for their achievements post Christmas; it had its highs and lows, tears and smiles, but as Browning wrote in his poem 'Life in a Love' now is the time 'To dry one's eyes and laugh at a fall/And, baffled, get up and begin again'.