WHAT can Vale learn from this game? Vale are not a poor side and we have good players but until they train together and play to an agreed game plan rather than being a team of to many chiefs and not enough Indians

then the current trend will continue.

The game itself saw the forwards work hard but fail to control the ball well enough. On the occasions that they did provide good quick ball, the backs showed their potential.

Simon Slater at fly half made good use of the centre partnership of J. P. Walton and Tony Stevenson, both of whom made a number of promising breaks.

Dave Collinge showed his experience with several incisive breaks from full back but all to no avail.

The front row struggled through inexperience and injury and is an area for concern, Joe Wilkinson having to leave the field through injury, which led to uncontested scrums.

Jason Bell, in his first game back in the 1st XV let his emotions rule and incurred the wrath of the referee on a number of occasions.

CALDER VALE...0

ECCLES...27

AFTER the score line the similarity with the first team game ends. The forwards bossed the scrum with Bob Walsh impressive stepping up from the thirds, the engine room of Matt Calvert and Brian Teal provided the brute force from second row.

Sadly the result does not reflect the game as a whole, the major difference being the conversion of opportunity into points, which Eccles did and we failed to do.

The Vale back line was pulled together late following a number of cry offs and injury but performed well, unfortunately when tackles are missed and the cover defence struggling points were lost.

Other positives included valiant efforts from Chris Hadfield who pulled off a number of last ditch tackles and a tremendous dump tackle from Micky Uren and Dax Humberstone when an over confident Eccles full back ran into a brick wall.

CALDER VALE 2nd XV...0

ECCLES 2nd XV...30

NOT a pretty game to report on, Vale performed below par but Grass Hoppers were better - a lot better. The pattern was set in the first minute with a quick try and conversion for Hoppers, missed tackles being the main cause of the problem.

When Vale did attack, support was slow and the ball was turned over often resulting in scores as the cover defence failed to cope. Phil Harbour scored Vale's only points with two converted penalties; he also pulled off a number of try saving tackles. Vale did have long periods of pressure in the opposition half but never looked to have the speed or skill to penetrate the defence and score. Ian Wilkinson came on in the second half and combined with Paul Warrender in driving fully 30 metres before poor handling in the backs spilled the ball.

CALDER VALE 3rd XV...6

PRESTON GRASS HOPPERS 5TH XV ...76