Preston Grasshoppers 6 v Fylde 22
Report by Simon Taylor
Fylde made the short trip down the M55 for a welcome resumption of their long-established rivalry with near neighbours Preston Grasshoppers. It benefits both clubs greatly both on and off the field to be back in the same division, with a guarantee of two fiercely contested games in front of bumper crowds. As in the previous home win over Chester, Fylde never quite hit the performance levels they are capable of. They did, however, manage to subdue a resolute Hoppers team and pick up their second bonus point win of the season as they won by four tries to nil.
Fylde were without the unavailable Tom Carleton and injury meant Pete Altham was the only one of the four former Hoppers players from last season who missed out on returning to Lightfoot Lane for a ‘warm’ welcome back. The usually ever-present Olli Parkinson had not recovered from a knee knock picked up the week before meaning Harlan Corrie moved into the second row, Ben O’Ryan joining Toby Harrison and Dave Fairbrother in the back row.
In fine weather on a firm and true 4G pitch Hoppers kicked off to Fylde and the opening exchanges were predictably uncompromising and robust. In fact, it wasn’t long before they became over-robust and referee Ben Davis, one of several KGS old boys on the pitch, showed he was not going to stand any messing around. In only the 5th minute, he yellow carded the Hoppers wing forward Sam Gale for a swinging arm in the tackle. Fylde took almost immediate advantage when, after a few reconnaissance missions down the left flank, they explored that avenue again and this time created enough space for the ever lurking try poacher skipper Ben Gregory to squeeze in at the corner. Greg Smith narrowly failed with the touchline conversion attempt, but Fylde were ahead 5-0.
Straight from the restart Fylde’s talisman Dave Fairbrother burst through several tackles only to get isolated and Preston were awarded a penalty in kickable range. Ben Pearson duly slotted the kick and Hoppers were on the board at 5-3. Despite Fylde having the lion’s share of possession and territory they were unable to add to their tally and on 22 minutes they fell behind for the only time in the game. The Hoppers pack made a mess of the Fylde scrum earning another penalty which Pearson once again sent through the uprights. Having only made a couple of forays into the Fylde half Hoppers had managed to edge themselves in front 6-5.
On 26 minutes Zach Barrow picked up a knock and was replaced at prop by Joe Higgins. Hoppers were attempting to pin Fylde back and force mistakes, or wait for unforced errors, of which there were more than the Fylde coaches would have wanted to see. From one on the half hour Hoppers had another scrum 10 yards out. This time the Fylde pack held firm and forced a turnover penalty with a fine counter ruck at the next breakdown, only to knock on at their next phase, inviting pressure back on themselves again.
Fylde knew they had to up the pace, improve their accuracy and cut out the unforced errors. The back line, when they did click, looked incisive and dangerous with Hoppers old boys Sam Stott and Jordan Dorrington proving very difficult for the Hoppers defence to handle. Added to that was the threat of Conor Wilkinson in his second game back after a full season out, as well as Tom Grimes and the versatile Adam Lanigan on the wings with the wily half-backs Matt Sturgess and Greg Smith pulling the strings. For sure opposition defences will be presented with challenges in how to cope with these multiple threats, even without the mercurial Tom Carleton being available for this game.
On 35 minutes the Fylde back line stretched the home defence to the point where Declan Norrington was given a yellow for a high tackle. A Hoppers line out in their own 22 was then overthrown and Fylde swiftly moved the ball along the backs allowing winger Tom Grimes to score in the same spot Ben Gregory had earlier. Smith’s conversion drifted wide, but Fylde had once more taken advantage of the extra man and were back in front at 10-6.
A poor restart from Hoppers was driven in by Ben O’Ryan and quickly recycled. Greg Smith spotted the gap in the home defence and carved through on a lovely angle. With support players a plenty it was a case of picking the right option, which he did with aplomb, sending the ball back inside to Matt Sturgess who scampered in from 25 out right under the sticks, at last giving Smith an easy conversion. Suddenly, from making hard work of it, Fylde had hit Hoppers with a double whammy and stretched their lead out to a much more comfortable 17-6, which is how it remained at half time.
The second half saw Scott Rawlings on at centre with Tom Grimes replaced, Wilkinson moving to full back and Dorrington to the wing in a game of musical chairs. Fylde kicked off and a Hoppers error gave Fylde the chance to camp down in the Hoppers red zone. Rawlings offers the option of sucking the defence in given it takes two or three defenders to deal with him, thus creating space out wide. Unfortunately, Fylde seemed too anxious to always score off the very next phase rather than choose when to be patient and build up to a walk-in overlap. This resulted in several good try scoring opportunities going begging and Hoppers scrambled and scrapped their way out of danger.
Fylde did manage to produce one sweeping move of high quality on 50 minutes. The line out had worked much better than the previous week with plenty of clean ball provided, principally by Matt Garrod in Olli Parkinson’s absence. From one of these the ball was swept across the back line, with plenty of deception running holding the defence in check, and Adam Lanigan was given a narrow channel on the right wing. Lanigan, a fine scrum half in his own right, is looking increasingly comfortable on the wing the more game time he gets, and he showed his pace and finishing prowess as he dived in at the corner. The conversion was missed but the Fylde lead had stretched out to 22-6 and, crucially, the try bonus point had been secured.
Click here for Mick Downer’s video of Adam Lanigan’s try.
In truth, the rest of the game was decidedly average. Neither team could impose themselves on the other and both were guilty of too many mistakes. There was little flow to the game with most of it being an arm wrestle, and not a very attractive arm wrestle at that. Defences coped comfortably with any attempts to create scoring chances and errors crept in negating any real rhythm in the game. Hoppers had one gilt edged scoring chance late on when a midfield break created a large overlap, however Tom Grimes, who was back on at this point, did well to get in the way of the intended pass, bat the ball up, re-gather and allow Fylde to clear their lines. Henry Higginson made his league debut replacing O’Ryan and showed up well, with Tom Forster and Sam Parker also getting some game time in the last knockings. Fylde saw the game out with no further troubling of the scoreboard.
Whilst Fylde may not have hit their straps yet in either game this season it is very early days and they have picked up two bonus point wins which is highly satisfactory. Toby Harrison was named man of the match for a dynamic all round performance on his return to his previous employers. Fylde sit second in the table behind Wharfedale on points difference.
The outcome in terms of available league points so far has been ideal, the performance levels will surely pick up as the squad gels and clicks with each other. Lightfoot Lane and derby day is never a walk in the park and any win is always hard fought and commendable. Fylde have an undoubted array of talent in the squad and look to play positive and entertaining rugby. When they do put it all together in a concerted fashion then spectators will be richly rewarded.
Teams:
Fylde: J. Dorrington, Grimes (Rawlings 40), Stott (Forster 69), Wilkinson (Grimes 63), Lanigan, Smith, Sturgess, Barrow (Higgins 21), Gregory (c) (Parker 73), Ashcroft, Corrie, Garrod, O’Ryan (Higginson 46), Harrison, Fairbrother.
Hoppers: Browne, Clapham, Fowden (Robinson 44), Keohane (Procter 72), Tyler, Pearson, Moulding (Squirrell 35), Miller (Trippier 46), Taylor (Madden 53), Trippier (Holden 33, Miller 64), Procter (Gale 40), Murray, Gale (Norrington 21), B. Dorrington, Richardson.
[Photo above by Sue Garrod]
