Sheffield Tigers 30 v Fylde 33: report by Simon Taylor
Fylde overcame a difficult start to outscore a robust and physical Sheffield Tigers team and gain another fine away win. The entertainment and commitment levels were as high as the altitude on the chilly and exposed surroundings at Dore Moor as Fylde outscored the hosts by 5 tries to 3. Tom Grimes notched a hat-trick to add to scores by Connor Wilkinson and Dave Fairbrother. This was no mean feat given they lost their stand-out skipper Ben Gregory to injury and conceded a pushover try in the first few minute. The bonus point win keeps the title race alive, although champions elect Sedgley Park’s bonus point win just down the road at the other Sheffield means they now just need one win from their last two games to secure the title, even if Fylde secure maximum points from their remaining three games.
The Tigers kicked off down the slope with the wind at their back and regained the ball immediately, launching a wave of strong carries by their hefty pack. An early heavy collision left Ben Gregory unable to continue and Sam Parker was straight off the bench and into the fray. The very next play saw the heavier Tigers pack shove Fylde over their line, number eight Tom Calladine dotted down, the metronomic boot of Mark Ireland, often a scourge of Fylde in the past, slotted the conversion and Fylde were 7-0 down, down a skipper and the vociferous Tigers crowd sensed blood.
Fylde gathered their collective breath and forced their way up the slope and into the game. To say Dave Fairbrother relishes a physical challenge is an understatement of the highest order, and the now promoted vice-captain set out to lead his troops with an inspirational all-action display that motivated them all to follow suit. On 20 minutes it looked for all money as if Fairbrother had the ball grounded on the line in a mass of players only for it to be deemed just short. It mattered not as the ball was recycled to Tom Grimes who chipped through, re-gathered and touched down to start his excellent day off. Greg Smith missed his only kick at goal of the day, but Fylde were back in at 7-5 down.
Fylde were now playing sensible, accurate uphill rugby to control possession and force penalties. On 28 minutes Fairbrother was not to be denied a second time as he rampaged through three tacklers to force his way over wide out, Smith’s excellent conversion giving Fylde the lead at 12-7. The next 10 minutes saw both teams gain penalties and territory without being to convert pressure into points, until Ireland knocked over a penalty right on the hooter to make it 12-10 to Fylde at the break.
The second stanza started perfectly for Fylde as they increased their lead on 41 minutes. A line out take off the top by Matt Garrod was moved down the back line before play was switched back to the blind side putting Grimes clear. This time Grimes turned provider as he drew the last man and put Connor Wilkinson in under the posts, Smith’s conversion making it 19-10.
This could and perhaps should have been the platform for Fylde to push on and keep The Tigers pinned deep, making them earn the hard yards uphill. However, Fylde were not able to find their ruthless streak and the hosts used the ball they got well. Fylde’s tackle defence in the face of the muscular running was good but they were giving too many penalties away for offside or breakdown offences. Ireland’s line kicking is as good as his goal kicking and with Sheffield’s scrum and line out working well any set-piece ball they had in Fylde’s 22 was a real danger.
The pressure of having to defend too often too deep started to tell on Fylde and Ireland chipped away at the lead with penalties on 45 and 51 minutes bringing the score back to 19-16. Fylde missed a good chance to score when another break by Grimes broke down due to a poor pass by a supporting player. Things were getting nervy now and that anxiety increased further when a series of penalties allowed Sheffield to move up the pitch and set up the catch and drive line out on 63 minutes. This they rumbled over without fuss and Ireland’s conversion gave them the lead again at 23-19.
Crucially, and fortunately for Fylde, one of the Tigers players had celebrated the try in what the officials saw as an unnecessarily excessive manner towards one of the Fylde defenders, to the point that Fylde were awarded a penalty at the re-start. A rare call, and a brave one given it was against the home team. It was a celebration the Tigers were to rue. Smith nailed the penalty kick to touch 10 yards out for a line out. Olli Parkinson was interfered with in the air but still took the catch and with the penalty advantage being played, Fylde ran a move in the backs, dummy runners creating confusion which allowed Tom Grimes to come in from the blind side wing and slice through for his second try. Smith’s conversion gave Fylde the lead back immediately at 26-23, had Sheffield been able to frustrate Fylde and keep the lead for 5 to 10 minutes things may have been very different.
Fylde were now able to relax a little and upped their collective effort. Debutant James Robinson had come off the bench and he made a key contribution with a superb jackal turnover penalty win on 74 minutes, and Smith kicked deep to touch again. The line out was overthrown but Matt Ashcroft did well to tidy up at the back, Fairbrother made the bust up the middle and span the ball for Grimes to score his hat-trick try wide out. Smith slotted a lovely conversion and Fylde finally had good breathing space at 33-23.
Credit to Sheffield they rose to the challenge again and dominated the last 5 minutes. Ireland narrowly missed a long-range penalty attempt, but another penalty allowed them to set up another line out catch and drive. This one was driven over from 10 yards out with Will Bennett the last man up, Ireland knocking over the conversion to narrow the gap to 33-30. Fortunately for Fylde time had expired and they had edged a fierce contest, the Tigers fully deserving their losing bonus point.
Tom Grimes has noticeably upped his levels in attack and defence over the last few games and it is rare a hat-trick man does not get man of the match. However, for taking over the captaincy so early, grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck, playing like a man possessed and inspiring everyone else to do the same, Dave Fairbrother deservedly added yet another MoM to the long list he has already. Sometimes you might not want to give it to him so you can share the love, but you just have to! Having said that, once again it was a collective effort with the whole squad performing admirably, and it is only editorial word count restraints that prevents me from giving every player a shout out. In this game, Sam Parker’s admirable 79 minute substitute stint, a bullocking run by Corey Bowker, big hits by Toby Harrison and Tom Carleton, and another assured display by Henry Higginson are worthy of mention, as well as the pack’s efforts in coping with a much heavier home eight in the scrum after the early setback with the pushover try.
Coach Alex Loney’s comments were: “Overall we are very happy with the result. Dore Moor is a tough place to get a win at, especially after the early disruption of losing Ben and conceding a try. I thought the lads were fantastic to get their mindset right to cope with all that and manged the first half well uphill, deserving our tries and the lead. In the second half we were just not quite ruthless enough in managing field position, and we allowed Sheffield to keep chipping away at the lead then get their noses in front. We then showed our qualities to get two more good tries and manage the game through to a great win. Credit to Sheffield they are a good team with a big pack and threats all over the pitch, so we are very happy with the win. We now have a week off then a massive game at home to Otley.”
That home game is April 15th, the final home game where a bumper crowd would be appreciated. Fylde then finish the campaign with away games at Chester on the 22nd and Huddersfield on the 29th. Fylde need just 1 league point to secure second place and 4 to reach 100 league points, their aim, of course, will be to finish with 3 wins.
Click here for video coverage of Fylde’s five tries.
Fylde: Carleton, Dorrington, Wilkinson, Rawlings (Lanigan 62), Grimes, Smith, Potts, Bowker (Higgins 74), Gregory (Parker 1), Ashcroft, Parkinson, Garrod (Robinson 62), Harrison, Higginson, Fairbrother
Unused sub: Turner
Sheffield Tigers: Mellor, Taylor, Goatley, Broadley, Wager, Ireland, Holmes, Bennett, Archer (Townsend), Bingham (Meek), Redfern, Hawksworth (Cartwright), Scott, Hughes (Baldry), Calladine
