Vale of Lune bade farewell to their North Two West status on a windy, chilly afternoon at Bradwall Road, as for the first time in their league history they drop below level seven in the structure.

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Ever since the turn of the year, the Vale have made a brave fist of avoiding the drop but in the final analysis, they were unable to make up for their appalling playing record between September and December when only one league game was won.

Recent form suggested that the Vale had managed to put together a slender lifeline but everything would depend on the outcome of the final fixtures involving themselves and Northwich. In the end Vale's defeat only confirmed their future because Northwich won at Leigh, and even if the Vale had defeated Sandbach, Northwich's victory would have kept them up.

So for the Vale, a new future awaits over the horizon in either North Lancashire and Cumbria, or Euromanx South Lancashire and Cheshire One.
Vale's efforts to stay afloat have generated a huge amount of interest, reflected in the large number of supporters who had made the journey down the M6.

What they witnessed was an off-colour Vale performance, perhaps the pressure gnawed away in the back of their minds, it could have been the blustery conditions, or the fact they were without two of their talismen, the injured Adam Armstrong and Danny Lin, away on holiday.

Whatever the reasons, the Vale were unable to find the momentum to seriously trouble the home side. There was a frenetic urgency about the Vale, in particular during the first half when they played down the slope with the wind behind them. It was imperative that the Vale needed to build up a defendable total but they trailed 11-10 at the break and the die was cast.

On their first visit to Sandbach, the Vale made the ideal start with a try in the opening four minutes. Neil Bennetts, again underlining how much he had been missed during the campaign due to injury, slipped a measured pass to Craig Orrick who used his strength to crash his way over, Neale Foster added the conversion.

The Vale were in control, their pack drove powerfully in the scrums and it only seemed a matter of time before they added to their score. A tenacious, young talented Sandbach side refused to panic and they opened their account in the 12fth minute with a penalty after prop Alex Reay opened up the Vale's defence.

This score gave an indication of what the Vale were up against because Sandbach were quite capable of matching their opponents in open play.

Vale went further ahead in the 15th minute when Foster drilled a penalty over after Matthew Whittaker had produced an all-enveloping tackle. But a second penalty from Matt Smith quickly followed as the Vale struggled to put any clear water between themselves and the home side.

Foster swept two penalty attempts wide and as the game moved into the closing five minutes, Sandbach took the lead. Scrum-half nipped round the side of a sleepy Vale defence for an unconverted try, although doubts were expressed about the legality of the score; did he ground the ball and had there been a foot in touch?

The half ended with James Bryan cutting inside off his wing, Carl Lamb making a rare sortie and Orrick taking play into Sandbach's 22. A one-point lead for Sandbach appeared ominous for the Vale who had not really subdued their opponents.

Straight from the kick-off, Sandbach went on the offensive, Smith missed with a penalty as the Vale tried desperately to break the grip of iron that was binding them. A rare Vale attack broke down in Sandbach's half, a counter-attack caught them in no man's land, the move ending with winger Jack Leech scuttling away for an unconverted try in the 55th minute.

Vale recovered to mount a number of attacks but the ball was lost in promising positions, as they searched for an opening.

Eventually a score was manufactured via a weaving run from Whittaker supported by Dan Perry. Space was created for the pacy Alistair Richards to exploit, the winger scampering away for an unconverted try on the left with 11 minutes remaining.

There was enough time available for the Vale to fashion a win but in the 73rd minute their hopes were dashed.

Forced to run the ball, a Vale attack came to grief when the unlucky Orrick had an adventurous pass intercepted, winger Tim Jones accepted the gift for his try, converted by Smith.

A penalty from Smith put the result beyond doubt, although the Vale did manage a final defiant flourish just as the 'candles flicker and dim', but now 'the piper must be paid', as the Vale seek pastures new.

Spirits were lifted later in the evening with a meander down the 'Little Benidorm' area of St Helens; various watering holes were visited, providing quality time to consider the trials and tribulations of the past season and where the future might take the Vale of Lune.

Will it be 'the long, laborious road, dry, empty, and white', as described by Thomas Hardy, 'diminishing and bending away on the furthest horizon'? Only time will tell as the Vale embark on a voyage of discovery that will take them into fresh challenging fields.

Vale of Lune: J Hodder; J Bryan, N Bennetts, C Orrick, A Richards; N Foster, O Hughes; P Jackson (D Halliwell 59), G Barton, A Sutcliffe; L Farnworth, D Perry; C Lamb, M Whittaker, M Fowler (capt).

* CARNFORTH'S final game of the season at home to North Manchester had to be postponed three hours before kick-off after Manchester claimed they were unable to raise a side.

The club will be in contact with the League Secretary this week to check if the game has to be replayed or if Carnforth will receive the points.