Vale of Lune 91-0 St Benedicts

In a top versus bottom clash at Powderhouse Lane, Vale of Lune impressively beat St Benedicts 91-0 in what was their widest ever winning margin in a league fixture.
Fergus Owens sprints down the wing to score. Picture: Tony North.Fergus Owens sprints down the wing to score. Picture: Tony North.
Fergus Owens sprints down the wing to score. Picture: Tony North.

The Vale ran in 15 tries, including a hat-trick from man of the match centre Jonty Higgin, eight being converted.

Vale posted their opening try within a minute when simple, slick passing created an opening for Higgin to step dextrously out of tackles for a try converted by Olly Jacques.

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In the third minute a rapid attack down the left flank ended with prop Jack Ferguson producing an electric surge on his way to a try, Jacques again obliged from the kicking tee.

In the sixth minute a solid Vale 10-metre scrum churned Benedicts backwards, scrum half Billy Swarbrick was in the pocket and from the ideal platform he scampered over for an unconverted try.

The bonus point was secured by Harry Finan who raced away for an unconverted try after skipper Sam Wallbank flirted in and out of tackles in the build up.

Straight from the restart the Vale added to their score with another move that ended with Higgin bustling through for an unconverted try.

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Swarbrick’s quick thinking set up his side’s next try when he took a tap penalty to send hooker Andy Powers on a clear run for the line for a try converted by Jacques in the 15th minute.

As the first quarter drew to a close the pace and efficiency of Vale’s passing presented Jacques with the opportunity to touch down for an unconverted try, 41 points were scored in roughly 20 minutes.

In the 35th minute Higgin collected his hat-trick after Swarbrick had exploded from a tap penalty, Jacques putting over the conversion.

Flanker Jack Ayrton was perfectly placed in the wide open to take a pass from Jacques for a 37th-minute try converted by Jacques and just before the interval Fergus Owens ghosted over for an unconverted try.

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Vale rang the changes at half-time and in the space of two minutes, lock Tom Cvijanovic bagged a couple of tries, in the 46th and 48th minutes respectively.

Jacques benefitted from yet another passage of passing of the highest quality with an unconverted try in the 53rd minute.

Jack Turton pounced on a Benedicts’ error in the 58th minute with a try which replacement Briggs converted with a measured conversion from wide on the left.

Owen broke through tackles in the dead ball area to race round behind the posts in the 62nd minute, his try being converted by Briggs to bring the curtain down on what had been a torrid afternoon for St Benedicts who to their credit, battled whole heartedly until the final whistle.