Fylde 43 Tynedale 10: report by Elliot Burrow
League leaders Fylde kept up their unbeaten record and made it the perfect eight from eight with a win over Tynedale, despite losing two players to the sin bin.
Overcast conditions were present at The Woodlands for this fixture, with the rain managing to hold off, as Fylde made five changes to the starting line-up that was victorious against the other ‘Dale’ in Wharfedale last week.
Tom Carleton slotted back in at full-back for his 3rd appearance of the season, with Tom Grimes returning on the wing for Jordan Dorrington to complete the back line with Ben Turner on the other wing.
Adam Lanigan continued at scrum half, with Matt Ashcroft coming back in at prop for Peter Altham who dropped to the bench, Matt Garrod and Toby Harrison also coming back into the side off the bench to round off the changes.
Tynedale had made an excellent start to their league campaign this season, winning their opening three matches, but only one win from their next four left them in 7th place in the table, and looking to regain some of that form which they had in those opening matches.
A team that was full of experience through the likes of Chris Wearmouth, who had over 300 appearances in the National Division to his name, and also Graeme Dunn, made it a strong set of forwards that Fylde had to contend with.
James Rodgers was also a solid goal kicker and playmaker for Tynedale at fly-half, scoring 63 points, only seven behind Fylde’s Greg Smith, and they also had the lively Will Roue at centre who was capable on his day of causing the home side all types of problems.
Chris Briers and Alex Loney though had so far managed to get their side to have an unblemished perfect 100% win record in the league, and brushed aside a decent enough Wharfedale team last week without having to really go through the gears, and they looked a dangerous side to face at the minute.
Greg Smith kicked us off in the cloudy conditions, and got the game underway, with Fylde attacking the clubhouse first.
A strong trait from this Fylde side is that they always make a fast start, and get on the front foot from the first whilstle, and it didn’t take them long to get up and running in this one.
Winger Ben Turner wasn’t initially down to be in the squad for today’s fixture, with Matt Sturgess supposed to be returning at scrum half, and Adam Lanigan taking his spot back on the wing, but a late reshuffle with Sturgess missing out meant Turner started, and he proved his worth with a superb solo effort which saw him dance through the Tynedale defence and round the full-back to race away and score near the posts, Greg Smith converted.
Smith is way more than just Fylde’s goal kicking man though, he was also their playmaker, and he made an excellent break which skittled the defence, and he found the supporting Tom Carleton who does what Carleton does best and put on the afterburners to score, Smith again converting to make it 12-0.
Moments later Carleton had his second, this time backing up a good run from Turner which had once again put the visitors on the back foot, and with Smith converting, the home side had taken full control of the game in the space of 15 minutes, and led 21-0.
Their momentum was brought to a halt minutes later though, when they were reduced to 14 men after Matt Ashcroft was sin binned for deliberate offside. From the resulting line-out Tynedale took advantage of their extra man and scored with hooker Luke Frankland going over off the rolling maul.
Fylde finished the half on top though, and scored again when after a period of sustained pressure on the Tynedale line, they shipped the ball out to the left with a long looping path from Smith which found David Fairbrother who sent Tristan Woodman in at the corner for a walk in try, which was acrobatically finished off with a Chris Ashton ‘splash’. Smith couldn’t convert, but Fylde led 26 – 5 at half-time and now had the bonus point.
Fylde lost scrum-half Adam Lanigan through injury at the break and wing Ben Turner showed his versatility by switching to no 9 and did so effectively. Tynedale started the second-half well, and after 3 minutes captain Chris Wearmouth powered over from close range to score his 6th try of the season. Fylde responded again, this time the brilliant Matt Garrod following skipper Ben Gregory on a break, before latching onto a pass from his captain, and sprinting clear from 30 metres out to score and put his side back to a 21 point lead at 31-10.
In the 60th minute they were reduced to 14 men again when David Fairbrother was sin binned for pulling the maul down, but Tynedale couldn’t make the extra player count. Fylde went back up the other end and scored when centre Connor Wilkinson powered through the last line of the Tyne defence to touch down.
Chances were few and far between in the last 10 minutes, but Tom Grimes made sure the table toppers had the last say when he scored out wide, his 8th of the season which put him one ahead of Gregory in the league’s try scoring table, and kept him in joint second, Smith converted, and it finished
Fylde 43 – 10 Tynedale.
This was a fifth home win of the season for Fylde, and one that required them to work a little harder and dig a little deeper than the other four. They showed plenty of character again though when they were reduced to 14 on both occasions and battled hard to wrap up another five points.
Now onto a cracker next week away at Sedgley, where someone’s 100% win record does have to go, after they beat Wharfedale 15-6 away from home. Fylde are still on top though, with a four point lead, and will be making sure they have done everything they possibly can do to give them the best preparation next week, and to try and carry on this magnificent start to the season.
Star man: Matt Garrod – Garrod watched on from the bench for a while last week, but got a start today and he was excellent in every single department. Winning the ball back from the line-out to set his team up for an attack, scoring a 30 metre try which most wingers would’ve been proud of, and defending superbly, Garrod played a big part in everything that went right again for Fylde on the day, especially when they were down to 14 men twice.
Game breaking moment: I mentioned last week that Tristan Woodman had been in excellent try scoring form as of late in front of the home crowd, scoring three in his last two matches, and his walk in try at the corner, which was finished off with a trademark Chris Ashton ‘splash’ on 35 minutes not only secured the bonus point for his side, but seemingly put the game beyond the reach of Tynedale at 26-5.
Click here for Chris Farrow’s photo album.
Line-ups
Fylde: Carleton, Turner, Wilkinson, Stott, Grimes, Smith, Lanigan (Rawlings 40), Bowker (Lewis 31), Gregory (Bowker 70), Ashcroft, Parkinson (Corrie 53), Garrod, Woodman (Higginson 53), Harrison (Altham 31), Fairbrother (Woodman 78). Replacements: Lewis, Altham, Corrie, Higginson, Rawlings.
Tynedale: Parker, Hutton, Cramb, Roue, Todhunter, Rodgers, Telford, White, Frankland, Caudle, Wearmouth, Nankivell, Dunn, Bell, Blackburn. Replacements: Carmichael, Dodd, Hall, Leslie, Roberts.