Fylde make two changes in their starting line-up for the tricky visit to Threshfield to face a fast improving Wharfedale squad (ko 14.00). Tom Grimes is ruled out through injury and is replaced on the left wing by Ben Turner who makes his 3rd starting appearances for the Club. In the pack, Matt Ashcroft starts at tighthead prop. Marcus Blake returns to the replacements bench.
Skipper Ben Gregory, Olli Parkinson and Greg Smith make their 20th appearances of the season, the only ‘ever presents’.
Wharfedale had a poor start to the season with five defeats in their first six games including a 48-18 reverse at the Woodlands. Four wins in their last six matches – incl home to Loughborough Students (15-14) & Bournville (30-18) and at Huddersfield (12-20) and Blaydon (24-38) – illustrate their return to form and is underlined by a fine performance at one of the National Two (North) promotion favourites, Sedgley Park, when only a last minute try denied them a famous victory with a 29-25 scoreline.
The Greens’ leading points scorer is fly-half or centre Tom Davidson with 110 points and the excellent speedster winger Rian Hamilton leads their try scorers with 16 to date. Numerous injuries disrupted their early games but the return of quality players such as the former ‘Hoppers backrower Ryan Carlson have strengthened their competitiveness. ‘Dale will prove a serious challenge to Fylde’s run of five successive victories. A good quota of Fylde supporters will give them great encouragement.
Fylde and Wharfedale RUFC games began in 1995-6 and 26 matches later we look forward to another enticing battle on Saturday.
We’ve dug into the archive to find the Wharfedale match programme for Fylde’s first ever visit to the ground on 9th November 1996. The line-ups featured some very fine players on both sides. A close contest ended with Fylde edging home 13-19, thanks to a try by skipper Gareth Russell and a conversion and 3 penalties kicked by fly-half Steve Gough.
The Greens’ skipper and legendary hooker John Lawn and winger Steve McManus notched tries plus a penalty from another legend, fullback Andrew Hodgson. No doubt the big crowd, stirred on by yet another legend, PA Announcer Ian ‘Adge’ Douglass, were screaming ‘River!’ every time the Greens’ forwards powered towards the lower end of the ground and the banks of the River Wharfe.
Some 14 of the 26 matches to date have been won by 7 points or fewer and Saturday’s game is likely to be yet another intense Roses battle and similarly closely fought.
