Rugby Union: Vale of Lune thirds 33 - 17 Littleborough RUFC seconds

Chris Kolbuck - Littleborough Rugby Union Second team

Despite playing most of the match a man short, Littleborough Rugby Union second team gave Vale of Lune thirds a scare at Powder House Lane on Saturday.

Yellow cards and injury to Oliver Thomas meant that a threadbare Littleborough side had to play the full 80 minutes a man down and though the score ended 33-17, it was a score line that hugely flattered the home side.

Littleborough defended stoutly, keeping Vale of Lune at bay with some big tackles from the likes of Chris Kolbuck, Brook Reader and Robert Savin, and despite going behind from a close quarter try, responded with a counter punch of equal proportion.

Littleborough pressed and hounded Vale of Lune into trying to score from their own 22.

A bad pass and knock on was capitalised on by scrum half Chris Kolbuck, who gladly took the spoils to slide over for the equalising score.

Konrad Hill weaved his way through two challenges to dive under the posts to give Littleborough the lead. A straight forward conversion for Aaron Jones.

With minutes of the first half left, and Oliver Thomas off nursing a hyper extended elbow, Vale of Lune found a way through the Littleborough defence. Hands through midfield gave the Vale backs to utilise the extra man and take the lead at the half time break.

Both teams were equally matched at the start of the second half with Brook Reader's try via a powerful burst through three defenders for Littleborough cancelled out by a Vale of Lune try in the right-hand corner.

Vale of Lune dominated possession in the rest of the second half and were entrenched on Littleborough's 22. However, time and time again Littleborough held out, whether it be from try savings tackles from William Armour or close quarters tackles from Paul Fino and Josh Ellidge.

Vale made the break through by using the fresh legs of substitutes to great effect and scoring two tries. The first through a close-range drive in the left-hand corner after a number of quick ball phases. The second a break away try as Littleborough went all out in attack in an attempt to get their way back into the game.