After a month’s partly enforced break, the Fylde squad will be looking to get their show back on the road when they travel to Hare Lane to take on Chester RUFC (ko 15.00).
This is only the ninth ever meeting of the clubs in league competition. For two well established North West clubs, it’s surprising that since the establishment of leagues in the 1980s the respective 1st XVs didn’t meet before the 2018-19 season.
After finishing in a mid-table 7th position in National Two (North) at the end of the 2022-23 season, they were ‘cast out’ to the N2 (West) Division last season. This was always going to be hard for any of the N2(N) clubs as it meant a season of travelling up and down the M6/M5 on away trips to clubs such as Camborne, Redruth (both Cornwall), Exeter University (Devon), Hornets (Somerset), Dings and Old Redcliffians (Bristol). Unsurprisingly, they finished in the bottom half of the table, in 11th position.
They have been reprieved in 2024-25 and they returned to the friendly North division! They were replaced by an equally peculiar interpretation of English geography which sends Macclesfield to the wonders of the ‘Western motorways’. Such is the juggling that has to happen with regionalisation and needing to balance up North, East & West regions.
Fylde have edged the bragging rights in the nine matches between the clubs to date. In the 2018-19 season they won at Hare Lane (5-16) but lost at the Woodlands (19-27). The last three seasons have seen five victories for the Lancastrians plus one draw.
| Woodlands | Hare Lane | Fylde W/D/L | |
| 2018-19 | 19-27 | 5-16 | L & W |
| 2019-20 | 42-17 | 15-51 | W & W |
| 2021-22 | 40-10 | 20-20 | W & D |
| 2022-23 | 34-29 | 25-40 | W & W |
| 2024-25 | 47-24 | W |
Both clubs have experienced a significant turnover of players in the last two seasons and are both looking to consolidate this season. Halfway through the campaign Fylde are in 4th place in the division with Chester in 8th. The Cheshire club had a positive start by winning at Preston Grasshoppers in their opening fixture but then suffered three defeats. They then won three of their next five fixtures but have disappointed of late coming into Saturday’s game on the back of three losses. Whilst four of their wins have been on Hart Lane’s splendid 4G surface, they have struggled away from home suffering seven defeats albeit sometimes in very close games.
Chester has a history almost as long as Fylde, being founded in 1925. Most of the next 60 years they consolidated with an improving fixture list, mainly against Northern clubs, before the foundation of leagues in the late 1980s and thereafter boosted the stakes and created a ladder for ambitious clubs to climb.
In the period from 2002 until 2013, Chester were almost always competing in North One, level 5 in the RFU league structure. They had an outstanding campaign in 2012-13 when they finished as champions of National Three (North) and were promoted to National Two (North). They have performed very well since then, finishing 5th, 5th, 11th, 5th, 7th, 2nd, 6th and 11th last season in N2(W).
Chester’ Head Coach is Rhys Hayes supported by 1st XV Player/Coach Guy Ford. The power of the Chester pack has been notable in recent seasons with the try scoring records of principal forwards (such as no 8 Ford himself) speaking for themselves. The current batch of influential forwards include (ex-Caldy) no 8 David Jones, flanker/lock Harry Wilkinson and lock George Spalding. The powerful front row roster includes props Josh Woods and Tom Furnival, and hooker Scott Robson.
The backline features fullback Gethin Long and young Morgan Bagshaw, examples of the Club’s recruitment of players from North Wales. Leading try scorer is dangerous fullback/winger Dafydd Williams (9 tries) and powerful centre James Ivory (7), & versatile wing/centre Andrew McMinimee. Flyhalf duties are shared by Morgan Bagshaw (the leading points scorer and goal kicker with 75) and Sam Rogers (ex-Caldy).