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LOOKING AHEAD.
Stuart Vernon21 Jun 2019 - 09:06
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The release of the fixtures are guaranteed to fan the fires of expectations.
The first sightings of snowdrops, swallows and the darling buds of May always set the pulses racing and so do the publication of sporting fixture lists of any hue, and so it came as no real surprise when the Vale of Lune’s fixtures for the 2019/20 North One West season were published they would be subjected to a thorough forensic investigation.
As was to be expected the usual North One West suspects were well to the fore because little had changed since the Vale departed their world at the end of the 2017/18 season to tangle with the hungry lions of North Premier. However, there were others in the frame whom the Vale had not been close up and personal with for a number of seasons including, Bowdon, Keswick, Penrith, Broughton Park and Birkenhead Park.
The last fixture against Bowdon was in August 2011 when the Cheshire outfit visited The Lane in a pre-season game which they lost, 22-12. The only league meetings were in the 2006/07 season when the honours were shared in the two North Two West fixtures, with the Vale winning at home, 15-3 but losing at Clay Lane, Timperley, 31-30, in the final game of the season. At the end of last season Bowdon finished in second place in Lancashire/Cheshire Division One, but were awarded a home walk over against Aspatria in the play off slot.
Keswick, who finished top of Cumbria Division One A last season, losing only one game and drawing another, last featured on Vale’s fixture list in the 2008/09 season when the two clubs faced each other in the North Lancashire/ Cumbria league. The Vale won both games to gain promotion back to North One West via a play-off victory against Widnes away. In the first meeting against Keswick the Vale won at Powderhouse Lane 55-7 and were victorious, surrounded by the stunning scenic Lakeland backdrop which is to be found at Davidson Park, 22-0, on Saint Valentine’s Day.
The Vale completed another “Cumbrian Double” in the 2015/16 season when they defeated Penrith at The Lane 41-31 in the opening North One West fixture of the season and at Winters Park, on Saint George’s Day, a wonderful, late dramatic drop goal from Jack Turton resulted in a 25-23 victory.
In the same season the Vale defeated Broughton Park home, 24-7, and away, 2012, for the first time since the 1999/2000 season. The other Park, Birkenhead, last crossed swords with Vale in the 2016/17, when they won 29-26 on their own patch at Park Road after seeing their lead pegged back by the visitors but the Vale won the return game, 13-3, at the end of January.
Relegation is an ugly word and indeed a concept that has to be wrestled with, and for the past few months the Vale have had to learnt to live with it and reflect on its implications. If there are any hangovers for the Vale, after their brief Icarus like flight in the North Premier stratosphere, they now have to pick themselves up, fully aware that the vultures will be circling and ready to pounce and explore any weakness. Should the Vale be carrying any baggage, be it physical or mental, there are certain to be any number of clubs who will be going all out to pick their locks.
Certainly the Vale’s opening games will be studied with eagle eyed interest by friend and foe alike, with questions pinging down like hailstones on a tin roof. Has the new regime arrested the decline? Have the stables been cleared? Are the Vale a busted flush? Has the nightmare been erased from the subconscious? Time, they say, is a great healer, the outcomes of the September fixtures will go a long way to discovering if the patient has recovered from the trauma and is looking hale and hearty and back on solids once again.
Vale will break open their first North One West Fortune Cookie on Saturday September 6 when they host last season’s champions of North Lancashire/ Cheshire One, Altrincham Kersal, who only suffered two league defeats and one draw in their campaign. Not only did the Vale part company with Altrincham Kersal at the end of the 2017/18 season but the Stelfox Avenue based side were relegated, but have quickly bounced back and are certain to test the home side’s resolve.
Next up will be Warrington with the fixture having been switched to Powderhouse Lane because the cricket season will still be in full swing at Walton Lea Road. Last season the Vale completed their first ever double over Warrington who finished in ninth place in North One West.
Bowdon will be going all out to impress on their visit on September 21 and following their successful season will be hoping that the momentum continues. Vale end the month with a visit to Firwood Waterloo, who finished in eighth place in the league last season, and are another club that the Vale completed their first ever double over in 17/18, but like their head-to head with Warrington, there will be more than a trace of revenge swirling around Blundellsands’ air.
The outcomes of the opening quartet of games will provide an important datum line for the Vale and while it will be too early to speculate what the future might hold a positive start will go a long way to settling nerves and restoring confidence. Vale ended last season on the canvas, they need to come out of their corner four square, fighting fit and to convince their opponents that they are no pushover. It will be hard, make no mistake, but that is the nature of the challenge that awaits them.
Vale of Lune 1st XV North One West fixtures, 2019/2020.
07/09/2019 Altrincham Kersal Home
14/09/2019 Warrington HOME*
21/09/2019 Bowdon Home
28/09/2019 Firwood Waterloo away
05/10/2019 Keswick Home
12/10/2019 Stockport Away
19/10/2019 Penrith Home
26/10/2019 Broughton Park Away
09/11/2019 Douglas (I.O.M.) Home
16/11/2019 Wilmslow Home
23/11/2019 Birkenhead Park Away
07/12/2019 Burnage Home
14/12/2019 Northwich Away
04/01/2020 Warrington AWAY*
11/01/2019 Bowdon Away
18/01/2020 Firwood Waterloo
01/02/2020 Keswick Away
08/02/2020 Stockport Home
15/02/2020 Penrith Away
29/02/2020 Broughton Park Home
07/03/2020 Douglas (I.O.M.) Away
14/03/2020 Wilmslow Away
21/03/2020 Birkenhead Park Home
28/03/2020 Burnage Away
04/04/2020 Northwich Home
18/04/2020 Altrincham Kersal Away
*The 1st Team fixtures are available on the 1st team's section on the website. Other team's fixtures will be added when they have been confirmed.
As was to be expected the usual North One West suspects were well to the fore because little had changed since the Vale departed their world at the end of the 2017/18 season to tangle with the hungry lions of North Premier. However, there were others in the frame whom the Vale had not been close up and personal with for a number of seasons including, Bowdon, Keswick, Penrith, Broughton Park and Birkenhead Park.
The last fixture against Bowdon was in August 2011 when the Cheshire outfit visited The Lane in a pre-season game which they lost, 22-12. The only league meetings were in the 2006/07 season when the honours were shared in the two North Two West fixtures, with the Vale winning at home, 15-3 but losing at Clay Lane, Timperley, 31-30, in the final game of the season. At the end of last season Bowdon finished in second place in Lancashire/Cheshire Division One, but were awarded a home walk over against Aspatria in the play off slot.
Keswick, who finished top of Cumbria Division One A last season, losing only one game and drawing another, last featured on Vale’s fixture list in the 2008/09 season when the two clubs faced each other in the North Lancashire/ Cumbria league. The Vale won both games to gain promotion back to North One West via a play-off victory against Widnes away. In the first meeting against Keswick the Vale won at Powderhouse Lane 55-7 and were victorious, surrounded by the stunning scenic Lakeland backdrop which is to be found at Davidson Park, 22-0, on Saint Valentine’s Day.
The Vale completed another “Cumbrian Double” in the 2015/16 season when they defeated Penrith at The Lane 41-31 in the opening North One West fixture of the season and at Winters Park, on Saint George’s Day, a wonderful, late dramatic drop goal from Jack Turton resulted in a 25-23 victory.
In the same season the Vale defeated Broughton Park home, 24-7, and away, 2012, for the first time since the 1999/2000 season. The other Park, Birkenhead, last crossed swords with Vale in the 2016/17, when they won 29-26 on their own patch at Park Road after seeing their lead pegged back by the visitors but the Vale won the return game, 13-3, at the end of January.
Relegation is an ugly word and indeed a concept that has to be wrestled with, and for the past few months the Vale have had to learnt to live with it and reflect on its implications. If there are any hangovers for the Vale, after their brief Icarus like flight in the North Premier stratosphere, they now have to pick themselves up, fully aware that the vultures will be circling and ready to pounce and explore any weakness. Should the Vale be carrying any baggage, be it physical or mental, there are certain to be any number of clubs who will be going all out to pick their locks.
Certainly the Vale’s opening games will be studied with eagle eyed interest by friend and foe alike, with questions pinging down like hailstones on a tin roof. Has the new regime arrested the decline? Have the stables been cleared? Are the Vale a busted flush? Has the nightmare been erased from the subconscious? Time, they say, is a great healer, the outcomes of the September fixtures will go a long way to discovering if the patient has recovered from the trauma and is looking hale and hearty and back on solids once again.
Vale will break open their first North One West Fortune Cookie on Saturday September 6 when they host last season’s champions of North Lancashire/ Cheshire One, Altrincham Kersal, who only suffered two league defeats and one draw in their campaign. Not only did the Vale part company with Altrincham Kersal at the end of the 2017/18 season but the Stelfox Avenue based side were relegated, but have quickly bounced back and are certain to test the home side’s resolve.
Next up will be Warrington with the fixture having been switched to Powderhouse Lane because the cricket season will still be in full swing at Walton Lea Road. Last season the Vale completed their first ever double over Warrington who finished in ninth place in North One West.
Bowdon will be going all out to impress on their visit on September 21 and following their successful season will be hoping that the momentum continues. Vale end the month with a visit to Firwood Waterloo, who finished in eighth place in the league last season, and are another club that the Vale completed their first ever double over in 17/18, but like their head-to head with Warrington, there will be more than a trace of revenge swirling around Blundellsands’ air.
The outcomes of the opening quartet of games will provide an important datum line for the Vale and while it will be too early to speculate what the future might hold a positive start will go a long way to settling nerves and restoring confidence. Vale ended last season on the canvas, they need to come out of their corner four square, fighting fit and to convince their opponents that they are no pushover. It will be hard, make no mistake, but that is the nature of the challenge that awaits them.
Vale of Lune 1st XV North One West fixtures, 2019/2020.
07/09/2019 Altrincham Kersal Home
14/09/2019 Warrington HOME*
21/09/2019 Bowdon Home
28/09/2019 Firwood Waterloo away
05/10/2019 Keswick Home
12/10/2019 Stockport Away
19/10/2019 Penrith Home
26/10/2019 Broughton Park Away
09/11/2019 Douglas (I.O.M.) Home
16/11/2019 Wilmslow Home
23/11/2019 Birkenhead Park Away
07/12/2019 Burnage Home
14/12/2019 Northwich Away
04/01/2020 Warrington AWAY*
11/01/2019 Bowdon Away
18/01/2020 Firwood Waterloo
01/02/2020 Keswick Away
08/02/2020 Stockport Home
15/02/2020 Penrith Away
29/02/2020 Broughton Park Home
07/03/2020 Douglas (I.O.M.) Away
14/03/2020 Wilmslow Away
21/03/2020 Birkenhead Park Home
28/03/2020 Burnage Away
04/04/2020 Northwich Home
18/04/2020 Altrincham Kersal Away
*The 1st Team fixtures are available on the 1st team's section on the website. Other team's fixtures will be added when they have been confirmed.
Further reading