Fylde 74 Harrogate 5: match report by Elliot Burrow
The sun was out and shining at The Woodlands as Fylde put in a much improved performance from the last time they were here to run in 12 tries to beat Harrogate comfortably.
An important win last weekend for Fylde secured them bragging rights over Preston Grasshoppers, and made it two wins from two so far this season in the process. Tries from Tom Grimes, Ben Gregory, Matt Sturgess and Adam Lanigan making it a 22-6 win, and sending Fylde into second place in the early league table.
They made two changes to the starting line-up from that game, Joe Higgins coming in for Zach Barrow who picked up a knock against Grasshoppers, and Henry Higginson coming in for his starting league debut for the club. England under 18’s star Tristan Woodman made the replacements, with Pete Altham also making a welcome return from his spell on the sidelines with concussion.
They were joined on the bench by former Fylde captain Adam Lewis, with Olli Parkinson also returning after missing out against Grasshoppers, Tom Forster making his first appearance of the league this year as well as he filled in the final spot on the interchanges.
Harrogate had endured a tough start to their season, losing 67-15 to Rotherham in their opening game before falling to a 24-7 defeat to early table toppers Wharfdale last weekend at home.
They were hoping that they could also turn their fortunes around form last season when they met Fylde here, Fylde running out 80-26 winners that day before they headed to North Yorkshire and beat them 33-8 on their home turf.
After both sides paid their respects to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II before kick-off with a minute’s silence and the national anthem, Harrogate got this afternoon’s fixture underway.
Fylde started the game off in similar fashion as they did in the game against Chester on the opening day, failing to collect their own line-out and losing possession near the Harrogate line.
They soon made amends though, and after winning a line-out on halfway they moved the ball out to the left through hands, where Adam Lanigan broke the line and found the supporting Tom Grimes who went over to score in the corner, Greg Smith converted from the touchline.
Minutes later Grimes scored again, this time the winger producing a delicate chip kick back into midfield over the covering Harrogate winger, where Matt Sturgess nudged the ball into the in goal area and Grimes dived on the loose ball to go over for his second of the match, Smith couldn’t convert this time, Fylde led 12-0.
Harrogate then enjoyed a spell in the Fylde half, but they couldn’t break down Fylde’s strong defence, and the home side turned defence into attack, when Sam Stott broke clear from the halfway line, and when he was tackled he managed to find the supporting Matt Sturgess who raced clear under the posts to score, Smith stepping up and converting.
It took Fylde a while to get back down near the Harrogate line, but when they did, they made it count again, this time Toby Harrison finding a gap in the visitors defence to score his first since returning to the club, Smith converted, and Fylde were now pulling away, 26-0.
The visitors dug in defensively though and kept Fylde at bay until half-time. They even had a chance of their own from a line-out near the Fylde line, but good work from Joe Higgins in the resulting maul earnt his side a scrum, and with it the referee’s whistle for the end of the half.
Fylde got the second-half action underway, and immediately set off on the front foot, Sam Stott spotting a gap in the Harrogate defence, which he managed to race through to score and go over for a first league try for the club, Smith stepped up and converted.
Stott then scored his second in as many minutes with a similar try to his first, the centre picking out another gap which he shot through once more to score, this time though Smith couldn’t add the extras, Fylde though had extended their lead.
The back line for Fylde was now starting to click, and when they moved the ball out to the right side, Jordan Dorrington got on the end of the slick passing move to score and make it 45-0.
Harrogate couldn’t stop Fylde from rolling forward now, and the home side were starting to play some excellent expansive rugby, and when another passing move made its way out to the right edge, Adam Lanigan finished it off in the corner, a try which brought up 50 points for Fylde.
Harrogate didn’t give up though, and continued to try and hit back at Fylde, and they got their reward when after a period of sustained pressure on the Fylde line, the ball made it out to the left where it found Will Yates who scored in the corner.
Skipper Ben Gregory then kept up his record of scoring in every game so far this season, before David Fairbrother backed up a Fylde break and from 20 metres out showed an excellent turn of pace to fend off the chasing Harrogate players and score in the right corner, Fylde now well and truly in full control, the score 62-5 with 10 to play.
Harrison then backed up another Fylde break to get his second, and a pinpoint kick from Smith out to the left found Grimes who had the easy job of walking in over the line to make sure he got his hat-trick, Smith couldn’t convert but the full-time whistle sounded, and the final score was Fylde 74 – 5 Harrogate.
A much improved performance from Fylde compared to their opening game win over Chester, Tom Grimes scoring a brilliant hat-trick and Toby Harrison really impressing in the pack meant they now sat top of the table after the first three games.
They now face a tough away trip to Hull Ionians next weekend before returning home to face Blaydon on October 1st.
Fylde: Dorrington; Lanigan, Wilkinson (Forster 55), Stott, Grimes; Smith, Sturgess; Higgins (Lewis 52), Gregory (c) (Higgins 65), Ashcroft (Altham 52), Corrie (Woodman 47), Garrod, Harrison, Higginson, Fairbrother (Parkinson 69).
Harrogate: Macnab, Pearson, Kennell, Mercer, Yates, Fox, Raubitschek, Derbyshire, Maycock, Baxter, Fenn, Brady, Jones, Hill, Spencer-Jones. Replacements: Elsayed, Jackson, Booth, Olley, Scrase.
Star man: Toby Harrison – It could’ve easily been given to Tom Grimes for his hat-trick, but Harrison had a sublime all round game with the two tries more than deserved. Running the ball in hard, and tackling even harder, he had an excellent game from start to finish, and always kept Fylde on the front foot.
Attendance: 462
Referee: David Charlton