‘Port bounce back from Douglas loss

home with a good second half, both in attack and defence.

An excellent clearance kick by full back Harry Rapley took play into the Vale 22 and the line out was thrown straight to Stockport’s Richard Sackville-West, who accepted the gift and ran 20 metres to score an easy try after only four minutes, 7-0.

After a good spell in possession a Stockport pass was intercepted by the Vale No 13, who ran in unopposed from 40 metres to level the scores.

A good driving maul from a line out by the visitors allowed their ball carrier to break away and beat the Stockport tacklers and touch down, with no conversion it was 7-12 after 17 minutes.

Vale started to gain momentum through their forwards but a turnover by prop Paul McGookin stopped the attack, the subsequent line out was lost and Vale attacked again but a loose ball was hacked on by Southern, who regained the ball on halfway and his pace saw him touch down under the posts, despite the chase by the Vale defenders, 14-12.

On the half hour Dean Schofield touched down, reaching for the line after some good phases by the Stockport pack and linking play with the backs, Southern’s conversion made it 21-12.

A strong run by Matt Blackwell and a try saving tackle by wing Jovan Bredell came before a break by the Vale 13 and his offload gave his 10 a run in under the posts, this with a penalty on 40 minutes gave the visitors the 21-22 lead at half time.

Vale knocked the kick off on and great patience by the Stockport forwards set up Tom Eaton to thread a kick through for Blackwell to score, putting the home side back in front 28-22.

More good work by the forwards created a penalty chance, which Southern converted.

There was then a period of real pressure by Vale as their forwards seemed certain to score but Blackwell intercepted a pass only five metres out and ran some 70 metres before he was tackled just short of the Vale line, Bredell was following up and secured then loose ball to score and make it 38-22 with 20 minutes to go.

As the game drew to a close more pressure by the Vale forwards resulted in a try as Stockport were pushed back in a scrum five metres out after some stout defence, the conversion made it 38-29 as the final whistle was blown.

Next week Stockport are away at Birkenhead Park.