Fylde travel to Scunthorpe RUFC on Saturday (ko 15.00) for only their second ever visit to Heslam Park. Scunthorpe is an ambitious club which is committed to extending rugby participation in that part of Lincolnshire. It runs a number of senior teams plus colts, women’s and mini-juniors. After a few promotions up the regional league structure, it gained promotion to the National Leagues for the first time in the 2019-20 season, a campaign of course blighted by the arrival of Covid and a somewhat truncated early finish in March 2020.
Fylde opened that season with a trip to Scunthorpe in early September and had little knowledge of what to expect from the newcomers. They soon found out and were 20-14 behind by the 20th minute. The visitors got themselves together in the remaining minutes of the 1st half and rattled up five tries to take a commanding lead of 20-47 by the interval. They eventually ran out 32-52 victors but Scunthorpe had outscored the Lancastrians by 12-5 in the 2nd half. Tom Carleton scored a hat trick of tries in all.
It turned out a very hard campaign for ‘Scunny’ who finished the truncated season in early March in bottom place after losing all 25 matches.
They bounced back in the next four seasons and regained Nat League status by pipping Huddersfield narrowly to the championship of Regional One (North East) last season.
This season has reminded Scunthorpe how tough it is to thrive in N2(N) and they’ve lost all six games to date – home to DMP 29-61, Sheffield Tigers 18-19 & Hull Ionians 18-14; and away at Otley 59-8, Rossendale 54-29 & ‘Hoppers 74-7.
But they are a resilient club and will surely strike form in due course. Fylde will have to work very hard to get back to winning ways at Heslam Park. The Lancastrians will hope to get a few forwards back from injury and suspension to strengthen the line-up to make the trip
Scrum-half Will Dark is Scunthorpe’s leading points scorer with 27 and winger Lewis Talbot heads the try scoring list with three to date.