While the First XV completed their 13th win out of 13, away at Vale of Lune on Saturday, the Second XV, also away at Vale won 5-31 and the Third XV succeeded in beating Village Spartans to complete another clean sweep for the club. In the lead into Christmas the club is very much in good health and looking forward to the second half of the season.

Away to Vale of Lune for the final match of the first round of fixtures Stockport came out 3-18 winners to remain unbeaten this season and well ahead at the top of the table. But this was no easy win as the Vale side continually put pressure on Stockport possession and with 20 minutes to go the score was just 3-5 with Vale continuing to offer a threat. Stockport showed their resilience with a very good final quarter adding a second try and a conversion and two penalties by Ewan Holt to secure the win.

Stockport made a very positive start to the game with good continuity and pressure on the home line. A penalty set up a line out and the drive took flanker Ed Poulson over for a try on 6 minutes, there was no conversion. The rest of the half was very attritional with neither side managing to secure their own line outs and both putting pressure on the other’s possession. The next score came on 32 minutes as Vale converted a penalty to make it 3-5 at the break.

The second half continued in a similar vein, Vale put on some real pressure and a hack into the in goal area looked like a score was coming but Stockport just got the touch down and cleared from the goal line drop out. Both sides were struggling to get any continuity until Rory Austin made a strong run to take play into the Vale half, a cross field kick by Nick Coupland created a chance but the wet conditions prevented Callum Owen from gathering the ball with the line just ahead. Stockport now continued to exert pressure and a good drive set up a try for Richard Sackville-West, which Holt converted . The Stockport effort drew two penalties, which Holt converted to complete the scoring in the semi-darkness as the game ended.

Next week is the first of the second round of games at home to Broughton Park.