In-tune Tynedale topple off-key Fylde
Tynedale 23 v Fylde 12: match report by Simon Taylor
A depleted and somewhat subdued Fylde suffered just their third defeat of the season at the hands of an honest, hardworking Tynedale team who ran hard, box-kicked cleverly and tackled tenaciously. Tynedale’s simple but effective tactics frustrated a Fylde team that, despite unavailability and injuries, still had the personnel and skills to win the game. The fact they were unable to raise their game to the tempo required to stress the home defence for long enough showed just how hard Tynedale worked. Fylde were not able to locate their missing mojo often enough to finish off their scoring opportunities and looked a bit weary, which is not a surprise given the number of players missing, and the amount of knocks some of those playing are carrying, a tough campaign is starting to take its toll. With Sedgley winning their 18th straight game, Fylde now sit 6 points behind the league leaders, who also have a game in hand. Fylde remain 15 points clear of third placed Otley, but Otley do have 2 games in hand.
The good news in midweek was that Dave Fairbrother’s red card from the week before was downgraded to a yellow by the disciplinary panel, and that Tom Carleton was available for the first time in a veritable age, for only his seventh game of the season. The bad news was that Zach Barrow, the durable Oli Parkinson and Sam Stott were added to the injury list. This meant both Harlan Corrie and Toby Harrison were asked to play out of position at second row. Henry Higginson came back into the back row with the reprieved Fairbrother and Sam Parker, once again playing out of position as the other wing forward. Joe Higgins joined Patreece Bell as the replacement props with Scott Rawlings starting in place of Stott, Jordan Dorrington moving to the wing to accommodate Carleton’s return.
Fylde started in the worst possible fashion. In a carbon copy of the home game against Hoppers, they received the kick off but failed to exit effectively, knocking on and turning over ball. Six phases later Tynedale winger Alex Dryden crossed in the corner. Fylde were 5-0 down and Tynedale’s dander was well and truly up.
Fylde had a chance to respond immediately when Tynedale’s box-kick exit was a bit too long, probably the only time that happened all day. Fairbrother fielded and fed Tom Carleton who showed no rustiness as he scythed through the middle. Unfortunately, he did not have a speedster in support and the move broke down 5 yards out. Fylde did have the scrum but conceded the penalty on their own put in, allowing Tynedale to clear their lines. This early failure to convert good scoring opportunities was to become a theme that Fylde would come to regret. They did, however, manage to restore parity at 5-5 in the 19th minute when Conor Wilkinson forced his way over after some patient build up play.
In the 24th minute Tynedale edged ahead again. First, they forced a turnover penalty as Fylde struggled to exit their own half. This was marched back a further 10 yards by the ref due to too much Fylde chatter, again something that was too prevalent on the day. This made the kick easier, and Tynedale’s full back Rob Parker knocked it over to make it 8-5. On 35 minutes Fylde had a disastrous 90 seconds of play. Good pressure on the Tynedale line was undone as Tynedale counter-rucked Fylde off the ball and kicked to touch. The Fylde lineout was overthrown, they then lost their own scrum, conceded another penalty and Tynedale ended up with a scrum 5 yards out. With the scrum inching forward and the Fylde back row tied in, Tynedale spun the ball left and stand off Josh Leslie touched down, allowing Tynedale to take a 13-5 lead into the break.
Early in the second half Fylde made a break out of nowhere but an excellent cover tackle forced Jordan Dorrington into touch just short of the try line. In the next few minutes another misfired line out then a penalty followed and 2 hefty kicks later Tynedale had pinned Fylde deep in their own territory again. A series of penalties in Fylde’s 22 saw Tynedale choose the scrum option repeatedly. Finally, the pressure told as Tynedale chose to spin the ball at the right time again, with Rob Parker scoring and converting to make it 20-5.
The Fylde coaches made changes with Scott Rawlings making way for Ben Turner, who came on at wing, with Dorrington moving to full back and Carleton to centre. Patreece Bell replaced Matt Ashcroft at prop. Fylde finally managed to force some sustained tempo and, for a time, cut out the errors. Penalties and field position followed, resulting in Conor Wilkinson making a nice, powerful surge from 10 yards out for his and Fylde’s second try of the day on 55 minutes. Greg Smith converted, and Fylde were back in it, still 20-12 down but finally stressing the home defence in a significant manner.
Fylde had the bit between their teeth now, forcing a kickable penalty which would have brought them back within a score. Sensing they had momentum, they chose to tap and go, sadly then being penalised for holding on, Tyndedale clearing their lines once more. Fylde did gain their first scrum penalty and pegged Tynedale back once more. Harlan Corrie took the clean line out ball, the phases were set up, but another turnover penalty was won by Tynedale and the danger was cleared yet again. A heavy contact between the Tynedale number 8 and Sam Parker saw both players leave the field and Freddie Deeks came on for some late game time, Tom Forster, and Joe Higgins also on as Carleton understandably ran out of legs and Corey Bowker was given a rest.
Fylde again looked to force the tempo, but their momentum had gone, errors, wrong options or good cover defence meaning their remaining chances came to nought. In looking to run from deep they claimed for a high tackle too vociferously, the referee disagreed and had run out of patience with the advice he was being given. He penalised Fylde instead and Rob Parker knocked the penalty over to make it 23-12. Fylde had run out steam now and the slog on the Tyne came to an end with no further score. Tynedale had performed the basics very well and executed a game plan to stifle and thwart an admittedly off-key Fylde.
There was no lack of effort in the display with Harlan Corrie and Toby Harrison deserving a shout out for playing out of position, running, and tackling hard despite their unaccustomed duties in the engine room of the pack. Unfortunately, Fylde could not take advantage of the scoring chances they did create, some of that was due to their own error count but full credit to Tynedale for forcing those errors and never letting Fylde settle into a rhythm. They are only the second team this season, after leaders Sedgley, to deny Fylde any match points at all. Fylde coaches Loney & Briers will look to rally their troops, hopefully get a few more bodies back and come up with a game plan and the right motivational message to be the team that finally ends Sedgley Park’s 100% record in a massive game at the Woodlands next week. It will be a Herculean task, but the incentive is dragging them back into the mix, whereas a loss will probably see Fylde’s title ambitions effectively done and dusted for another season, the motivation to win is clear for all to see.
Coach Chris Briers commented: “On reflection, we were slightly off in quite a few areas. That built up, meaning we couldn’t perform well enough. Tynedale had strong runners and we gave them too much field position with the penalties we conceded. When our defence was slightly off, they exploited it. We created a lot of chances but weren’t clinical enough in the final third. It was frustrating as we still had chances to win the game right till the last 10 minutes. Unfortunately, time ran out and it wasn’t to be today.”
Click here for excellent photos by Tynedale’s John & Barbara Austin.
Fylde: Carleton (Forster 74), Dorrington, Wilkinson, Rawlings (Turner 52), Grimes, Smith, Potts, Bowker (Higgins 74), Gregory, Ashcroft (Bell 50), Corrie, Harrison, Parker (Deeks 71), Higginson, Fairbrother
Tynedale: Parker, Dryden, Lilley, Todhunter (Miller), Devereux, Leslie, Telford, White (Carmichael), Frankland, Caudle (Haigh), Wearmouth, Nankivell, Blackburn (Hall), Johnston (Dodd), Bell