Vale 22-45 Wilmslow

The Vale opened the scoring with a penalty goal after a four quick fire minutes when Neil Walker kicked a penalty goal.

A minute later the Vale felt the wrath and hot breath of the Wolves when Ed Stobart showed a clean pair of wheels to punish a series of Vale errors for the first of his four tries.

In the 15th minute an orthodox threequarter movement completely unhinged the Vale, centre Legin Hotham cruised over in the left hand corner for a second unconverted try.

In the 20th minute Vale’s collective spirit was rewarded when stand off Adam Macluskie dived over the line for a high tariff score following a break from Jack Aryton, Walker’s conversion levelled the scores.

Both Vale and Wilmslow traded try for try, with the visitors responding to Vale’s score with another text book try taken from the chapter entitled “The Role Of Threequarters.”

Once again the Vale struggled to contain a sequence of swift accurate passes as the ball was shipped from right to left, Stobart easily collecting his brace with an unconverted try wide out.

But the intensity continued and three minutes later the Vale scored a thrilling try after a magical run from Fergus Owens who slipped past Wilmslow players with impunity before popping a delightful pass inside to Jonty Higgin for a try converted by Walker.

A pulsating half drew a close with two penalty goals from Wilmslow’s stand off, Bob MacCallum but early in the second 40 Wilmslow consolidated their four point lead with two tries.

In the 42nd minute winger Harry Patch careered down the flank with impunity for a blistering unconverted try.

Four minutes later Stobart carved his way through the traffic for his hat-trick, MacCallum converted.

The Vale then carelessly overthrew the ball at a line out, the Wilmslow forwards took full advantage with some close quarter passing and probed for an opening. Suddenly the seas parted in front of them to allow lock forward Adam Hewitt to romp away for a popular try on the hour.

To all intents the game was out of Vale’s reach but in the 67th minute the forwards created a score when they drove their opposite numbers over the line, second row Tom Cvijanovic being awarded the try.

Wilmslow signed off the game with a stunning try from Stobart in the 82nd minute to complete an individual tryfest of the highest quality. He kicked ahead, caught the ball at full speed to outpace the chasers his try being converted by MacCallum to end another game to savour.