Calder Vale 3 Blackpool 25

ON AN ideal day for a good game of rugby with a good crowd of spectators following both sides, the scene was set for an interesting game.

Vale took the game to the visitors running everything in the first 15 minutes. The front row of Bythell, Barwick and Summersgill gave nothing away in the scrums, almost giving their opposite numbers vertigo. Persistence paid off with the home side going ahead after being awarded a penalty which was kicked by Neal Perigo.

If the game had been played over this 20-minute spell, Vale would have won! But a solid line of defence kept Vale at bay as they lacked the final knockdown blow. But Vale being architects of their own downfall, let Blackpool get back into the game. With poor ball handling and a series of missed tackles, the visitors fought back being awarded a penalty to level the scores.

Again, lacklustre tackling and poor ball retention saw Vale gift the Seasiders a score to make it 20-3.

A lacklustre second half saw both sides not playing the standard of rugby deserved at Holden Road, both sides were deadlocked - the home side deflated by the points difference and the visitors seemingly happy to sit back on their lead. The final moments of the game saw Blackpool once again cross the try line leaving the final score 25-3.

The first team travel to Newton-le-Willows to carry on the Cup campaign in the fifth round of the NPI Cup on Saturday.

Blackpool 5 Calder Vale 2nd 17

A LAST-MINUTE kit check before setting off, unearthed that a pair of boots were missing, and this meant captain Kenny O'Shea arrived at the seaside with the game already under way after a dash for replacements. The beleaguered captain was cheered to find his under-strength team leading by 12 points. Second row Eddie Blake had opened the scoring from at hrough ball that was a result of good play by the forwards putting the ball down between the uprights gave Simon Slater an easy conversion.

A dazzling display of strength and speed saw Pete Allen cut through the Blackpool defence like a hot knife through butter, scoring in the corner to bring the score to 12-0. The game slowed with the front row of Ingham, Jones and back from illness Nick Cassidy keeping the home side well at bay until the half time whistle.

The second half saw team play by Vale go out the window with individual plays causing more harm than good.

Kev Singh and Daz McCue then linked well and went on the attack together. The try of the afternoon came from Dorien Williams who, picking up a loose ball from a scrum, ran 60 yards to put the visitors further ahead. The score should have widened with both the captain and Dax Humberstone going close.

With two minutes remaining and Vale expecting their first clean sheet, the home side pounced on a loose ball to console themselves with a late try.

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