Vale Win Battle In The Mud

The reverse fixture in Cumbria had been Manchester’s opening game of the season, also played in the rain. Manchester had gone one better at ‘The Grove’ and had provided plenty of mud to go with the rainy conditions!

Manchester had ten and Vale had nine players available. The match would be played on half the main stadium pitch, starting as a nine-a-side fixture over two fifteen minute periods, with the teams made up of three forwards and six backs.

Manchester’s forwards started with a front row line-up of Aisha Choudhry, Jess Davids and Caitlin Knight.
The half backs comprised Jess Johnson (Captain) as scrum half with Olivia Farrow as fly half.
The rest of the Manchester backs comprised Chloe Snape playing at centre and Katy Bacon plus Courtney McNamara as wingers. Casey Thompson started as fullback.
Rolling sub was Michaela Gurney.

Vale this season has scored highly against all league opposition whilst conceding points against, within the leagues regulation scoring system, in only one match! From the kick-off they were able to put together several good phases eventually scoring a try (converted) after two minutes in the corner despite several excellent defensive tackles made by many Manchester players, especially Olivia.

From the restart Vale were able to run the ball back and score a try (converted), this time in the opposite corner after three minutes.

Casey stepped up to take Manchester’s restart kick-off. Noticing how Vale had stood off the two previous kick-offs she executed a short on-side kick up the centre into space. Casey promptly followed up her kick and regained possession for Manchester in Vale territory for the first time in the match. The Manchester forwards were soon able to put together some cohesive phase play releasing the ball to Olivia who intelligently kicked the ball on the angle into Vale’s twenty-two metre area, forcing the Vale defenders to turn on the muddy pitch.
Unfortunately for Manchester, Vale were able to hold this attack and return the ball for a breakaway try (converted) after six minutes.

Casey once more tried the on-side kick which had worked well previously, however Vale anticipated this tactic and were able to gather the ball and launch a quick attack in reply. This would have resulted in a try if it were not for a spectacular ankle level tackle made by Katy Bacon, which had the Vale player land flat in a very wet corner of the pitch – the resultant splashdown being heard on the far side of the pitch!

On ten minutes Vale’s scrum half seized an opportunity to run in a ‘sneak’ try (converted) down the blind side of a scrum, ten metres out from Manchester’s try line.

There followed a period of Manchester pressure up to the Vale twenty-two metre line. The Vale defence was extremely well organised and able to disrupt Manchester’s attempts at maintaining pressure. Finally Vale broke clear but were temporarily halted by another brave tackle by Casey – taking yet another blow, to her head this time!

Despite defensive heroics from Manchester, Vale were able to break through and score a fifth try earning them a league try bonus point on the stroke of half time. This gave Vale a 33-0 lead over Manchester.

The half time team talk centred on playing with plenty of energy, not missing tackles and maintaining momentum when in possession.

Manchester started the second half with renewed vigour. When in possession the team played much tighter and when defending, the tackles especially by Olivia and Courtney kept Vale in check. Olivia’s continued tactic of kicking the ball behind the Vale’s defensive line was proving very effective in the muddy conditions. The match ebbed and flowed until a well worked Vale attack on twenty-two minutes resulted in a try (converted) and completed the league scoring.

Although the final score resulted in defeat, the team’s improvement throughout the season produced a much more competitive performance against undoubtedly the best team in the league this season.

Congratulations to Vale of Lune for finishing the season at Manchester as 2011/2012 RFUW U15 Girls Champions!