Sun, prosecco, congas and tries at the Woodlands
In a great day for rugby, Fylde and Otley fought out a game which remained in the balance for almost the entire contest. A big crowd of 910 – of the 20 National League fixtures the highest of the day shaded only by the Bristol derby between Clifton and Dings Crusaders – appreciated a fine advert for National Two rugby. Ladies Day was enjoyed in the Clubhouse by 180 women as they supped their prosecco with relish amidst the occasional conga snaking its way along the 1st floor balcony. Meanwhile, eleven tries were scored in an open, running match in which both teams were committed to attacking rugby – the Woodlands was bouncing with laughter and excitement.
Otley took the lead in the 5th minute when Fylde lost possession in their own 22 and the backs moved the ball smartly along the line. Dangerous winger Josh Law took control for the visitors as he went over in the left corner for his first of the afternoon. Fly half Freddie Spensley’s attempted conversion from near the touchline drifted wide of the posts
Fylde hit back almost immediately when the Otley backs attempted to run the ball out of their half. Fylde’s playmaker Will Hunt read the move perfectly and made one of his trademark interceptions 35m out from the Otley line and raced clear to score under the posts.
At the quarter hour mark Fylde broke the defensive line again, this time Ben Turner bursting 50m downfield with quick feet. Lock Ben Walton continued the charge down the left touchline and threw a cheeky offload to Tom Forster who finished in neat fashion. No conversion, but the score now sat at 12-5.
Just shy of half time Fylde were in again. Skipper David Fairbrother took a free kick quickly and made big meters, but the real hero was flanker Greg Morgan who somehow managed to shrug off two challenges by twisting and driving over the line for Fylde’s third try of the afternoon. The attempted conversion was wide but Fylde’s lead increased to 17-5
It was looking good for the Woodlands’ side but the visitors responded immediately in the 38th minute when a Fylde player spilled the re-start kick and the ball was hacked through towards the home side’s line. Arch poacher Law was there again to win the race to the loose ball and put his side right back in contention at 17-12 down after a successful conversion by Spensley.
Fylde needed a nerve settler before half time and they got it in the form of another backs move. Otley were pinned back in their 22 but were defending well against the Fylde forwards and backs, but a clever, long pass by Slawson found winger Jordan Dorrington who was patrolling the left touchline in space and he cantered in for a try. Hunt’s second conversion of the game gave Fylde a 24-12 lead as the referee blew for halftime.
Annoyingly for Fylde, the second half was a much tighter affair than the first, with a fear that another late collapse could be on the cards.
An early Otley penalty in the 43rd minute did little to ease the nerves around The Woodlands and by the time the Fylde players looked back up at the play, scrum-half Will Beanland had taken the penalty quickly and was already between the sticks. Just like that, the lead was cut down to five again at 24-19 in this roller coaster contest.
For the next 20 minutes or so the momentum swung between both sides. Fylde flanker Greg Morgan was having the game of his life for the Lancastrians making long bursts forward and supporting the runners all over the pitch. He’s sometimes had to play as a lock due to injuries this season but the flankers role gave him much more license to show his attacking power.
Fylde bagged a try just after 50 minutes when the elder Dorrington brother, Ben, drove over in the left corner after an at times stagnant lineout maul. Will Hunt had been withdrawn at half-time by the Fylde coaches to be replaced by Alex Clayton with young prospect Dan Slawson moving from fullback to his normal fly-half position. He took over the goal kicking responsibility from Hunt and converted the try beautifully from the touchline for a 31-19 advantage.
In this game’s defining characteristic Otley hit back once again. In the 60th minute, their impressive, powerful no 8 Scott Irvine muscled his way over the Fylde try line after a titanic scrum battle between the sides. Spensley’s conversion reduced the deficit to 31-26
There were still plenty of hearts in mouths moments for Fylde. However, in the 68th minute a scuffle in the middle of the pitch led to a yellow card to Otley replacement Ryan Gibson. Slawson opted for a long penalty kick which, if successful, would have put his side more than a single score ahead but it drifted wide.
By this time Fylde had the clear advantage of possession and territory. In the 73rd minute the conclusive score arrived as the ball was being worked well through the hands of their backline. Once again, ever present danger Jordan Dorrington found himself in another great position to step a defender and score to make the score 36-26.
Moments later and Fylde were within Otley’s 22 again thanks to some brilliant running from the backs. But it was a forward who scored Fylde’s crowning try. Talisman and acting captain David Fairbrother picked up a loose throw at an Otley lineout 35m out and launched himself under the posts, only to be jumped on in joy by the entire squad. The massed ranks of spectators in front of the Clubhouse cheered in celebration as their 43-26 win was complete. One of the spectators said “it looked as if ‘Fairy’ was going to run through the Clubhouse wall to make sure he scored!”
Greg Morgan was justifiably named as Fylde’s Man of the Match in the Clubhouse after the game. Another player deserving a shout out is veteran Adam Lewis who put in a long 60minute shift at tighthead against a bulky and very experienced Otley front row.
It was Fylde’s first back-to-back home win of 2026 and was a brilliant way to continue building from their super impressive Darlington Mowden Park success a week prior. In the last three consecutive victories they have notched up 140 points. With only one home game remaining this season, the boys will want all the support they can muster from the Fylde Coast when they play Rossendale in a few weeks time. But for now, the focus has to shift to their next fixture: a tricky visit to Sheffield Tigers on April 11 where the confidence gained from winning three on the bounce will undoubtedly be a help.
Click here for Chris Farrow’s album of match photos.
Click here for video coverage of Fylde’s seven tries.
FYLDE: 15 Slawson; 14 Turner (Lanigan 67), 13 Forster, 12 Stott, 11 Dorrington J; Hunt (Clayton 40), Gould; 1 Bowker, 2 Trippier (Rudkin 64), 3 Rudkin (Lewis 32), 4 Walton (Senior 52), 5 Garrod, 6 Morgan, 7 Dorrington B (Walton 64), Fairbrother ©.
OTLEY: 15 Raubitschek; 14 Law (Rowntree 56), 13 Holmes, 12 Sellers (Jackson 77), 11 Sarsfield; 10 Spensley (Howard 74), 9 Beanland; 1 Moss (Mudd 21), 2 McCormack, 3 Baxter (Moss 35, Baxter 50)), 4 Acland (Jackson 42), 5 Jackson (Culf 35, Gibson 65), 6 Lunn ©, 7 Freeman, 8 Irvine.