Fylde 31 Rossendale 24: report by Allan Foster
A “curate’s egg” is an idiom describing something as partly good and partly bad. Originating from an 1895 Punch magazine cartoon, it depicts a timid curate trying to politely reassure his bishop that his stale egg is not entirely bad, saying “Parts of it are excellent!”. Fylde’s performance against fellow Lancashire neighbours Rossendale in this first ever National League game between the two clubs at the Woodlands could not have been better described. There was much to play for, especially for the Stags as they battle against relegation in their first season at this level.
The Woodlands Clubhouse was packed before and after the match with over 1,000 spectators turning up on a dry and pleasant day for attacking rugby. They witnessed a very poor 1st half display by the home team during which they committed every possible error against a committed and hard working Stags squad who completely dominated the first 40 minutes. When Fylde finally found their touch in the last quarter they outran the tiring East Lancashire team who in all honesty deserved more out the game.
Some of the inconsistency that has characterised Fylde’s 2025-26 season can be partly explained by the queue of players outside the Medical Room at the Woodlands during the twice weekly training sessions. They’ve called on over 40 players during the campaign, the most for many seasons. And it’s not just the numbers involved but the quality of the players who have missed so many games. Ahead of this match they lost fly-half Will Hunt and lock Matt Garrod. Looking on from the touchline was Gabe Maguire, Will Greenwood, Lewis Quinn, skipper Toby Harrison, Danny Cassidy, Sam Stott, Sam Parker, Peter Altham and Rob King. They were pleased to welcome back Mike Walton after a prolonged injury spell. This number of injuries has at least given opportunities to a new generation of young local players such as Dan Slawson, Tristan Assad and Max Senior to gain National League experience. And the contribution in recent months of ‘back from retirement’ Adam Lewis has been immense.
It didn’t take the Stags long to gain the ascendancy as they used their strong pack to dominate the loose play all over the Woodlands pitch. Fylde errors contributed and their cause was not helped when acting skipper David Fairbrother was yellow carded for an offence near the Fylde goal line in the 4th minute. Rossendale took due advantage as powerful centre Krisnan Inu burst through some tackles and touched down with ease. He is the current goal kicker though was unable to add the extras but the visitors took a lead that they maintained until the 76th minute.
Despite going down to seven forwards, the Fylde pack started to show a dominance in the scrummaging that they maintained through the whole game. In the 11th minute they forced a penalty which Slawson kicked to touch halfway in the visitors’ half. The subsequent lineout was over thrown and a Rossendale forward hacked the loose ball way downfield. In fact, it earned them a 50:22 advantage with their own lineout to follow. Fairbrother was back in action when another handling error led to Rossendale’s centre Kieran Tyrer stealing in for his team’s 2nd try, this time converted by Inu for a 0-12 lead. Fylde continued to struggle for continuity and their defence was consistently under great pressure although battling hard at the tackle breakdown. Rossendale’s tactics of utilising the booming kicks of fly-half (and Head Coach) Sam Bedlow and the aggressive rucking of their pack were just the right way to play with the breeze at their backs.
The scrummage continued as a point of advantage for Fylde. In the 34th minute Fylde pressed inside the Staggs’ 22m line. In a messy ruck, flanker Ben Dorrington spotted a loose ball and nipped through a gap to score near the posts. Slawson converted for a 7-12 deficit.
It didn’t take long for Rossendale to re-establish their dominance and just before half-time they created space for winger Harry Chubb to score a good try. The conversion was missed but the visitors would have been pleased, though not flattered in any way, at their 7-17 lead.
The early stages of the 2nd half began much the same as the first 40 minutes. As the Staggs again pressed deep into the Fylde half, winger Vincent Durcan scored his team’s bonus point try which was converted by Inu. Adding insult to injury, Fylde centre Alex Clayton was yellow carded to Fylde were once again a player short. Given the balance of the game, Rossendale’s lead looked convincing and Fylde’s task in getting any serious traction for a fightback seemed rather unlikely.
But cometh the hour, cometh the man. Ashton Kassam-Sharples is a product of the Vale of Lune and Manchester Metropolitan University. The Lancashire U’20s flanker (or utility back) made a couple of earlier appearances this season and in the 48th minute he joined the fray. He’s not a big guy but has serious pace, fearsome tackling and very good hands.
It was Rossendale’s time for their discipline to falter and Sam Bedlow was yellow carded in the 51st minute. This inspired Fylde to up their efforts and in the 56th minute winger Leo Gilliland cut through the Staggs defence to notch his 12th try of a very impressive first season in the claret, yellow and blue colours. The attempted conversion was wide but a 12-24 scoreline looked marginally healthier.
Fylde continued to benefit from the extra man. In the 60th minute, Kassam-Sharples wrestled his way clear 30m out from the Staggs line, dodged a couple of other defenders and broke clear to score with a swallow dive in front of the crowded Clubhouse audience. Slawson added the extras and suddenly Fylde were very much back in the fight at only 19-24 in arrears.
Rossendale’s discipline crumbled as they conceded penalty after penalty. This led to hooker Boxall and then Inu receiving their marching orders in the 70th & 75th minutes. In the 74th minute Kassam-Sharples was at it again. He broke down the left touchline and fed Dan Slawson who got the touchdown. He was unable to convert his own try but had levelled up the contest at 24-all.
The blistering conclusion was in the 75th minute with yet another slashing backs move with fullback Ben Turner creating enough space down the left touchline once again before feeding Adam Lanigan who plunged over in the corner. Slawson kicked a lovely conversion from the touchline for a 31-24 lead which the home side hung on to as they played out the final few minutes.
Fylde’s Coaches have often demanded better game management from their squad. The 2nd half transition from seemingly down and out to dramatic winners was a fine example of how to do this effectively. Rossendale will kick themselves at giving up such a convincing lead early in the 2nd half and two bonus points might seem a poor consolation. We wish them well in their efforts to retain their status as Lancashire’s fourth senior team to be in the National Leagues as well as Sedgley Park, Fylde & Preston Grasshoppers.
The Fylde Coaches selected Ashton Kassam-Sharples as their Man of the Match.
Click here for Chris Farrow’s final action photos album of the National League season.
FYLDE: Turner; Gilliland, Clayton (Lanigan 66), Forster, Dorrington; Slawson, Gould; Bowker, Trippier, Rudkin (Lewis 33), WaltonB (Morgan 72), Morgan (Kassam-Sharples 48), WaltonM (Senior 60), Dorrington (Rudkin 66), Fairbrother ©.
Non-playing replacement: Sutcliffe.
ROSSENDALE: Holland (Inu 67); Durcan, Tyrer (Gayle 67, Tyrer 70), Inu (Rogers 60), Chubb; Bedlow, Whelan; Flynn, Boxall, Gayle (Probert 31), Nabogi, Lightbown, Fontaine (Berry 54), Fourie, Ioane (Clark 54).
Non-playing replacement: Stephens.
Attendance: 1032