Fylde beat a game Billingham squad

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Fylde 32-26 Billingham – match report, by Stuart McCracken

Despite three late Billingham tries, Fylde held out to pick up another five point victory and continue their unbeaten start to the National 2 North season.

Debutant Sam Carleton picked up two tries in the first-half as Fylde raced into a 27-0 lead at the break. With the try bonus point already secured Fylde saw out the game in the second-half despite the visitors, who were visiting the Woodlands for the first time, picking up two losing bonus points late on with a spirited fightback.

Three tries in the last five minutes by Ryan Kirkbride, Mike Walton and Dan Dixon saw the Durham-based side reduce the scoreline from 32-5 to 32-26.

Fylde made a blistering start to the round 3 encounter with debutant Sam Carleton crashing over after three minutes. Carleton had space to crash over due to the pump pass by Greg Smith earlier in the move. Things got ever better for Fylde in the 10th minute when scrum-half Ben Gould went over for their second try. It was a brilliant move by Fylde’s backline, which started from their own 22. Sam Carleton made the break on the left wing before offloading to Ben Turner who moved it inside more through Smith before Gould got the ball to touch down. Smith added the extras to put Fylde 12-0 up.

Sam Carleton was enjoying himself on the Fylde coast, but unfortunately he dropped a pass in the 14th minute when it looked like the hosts were in for try number three. They didn’t have to wait long for their third though, as captain Ben Gregory dotted down from a rolling maul in the 20th minute.

Smith, who was orchestrating his backline superbly, kicked a brilliant 50-22 on the half hour mark, which ultimately led to Fylde’s bonus point try. Shortly after the lineout from the 50-22 Jordan Dorrington, who was playing outside centre, played a delicate kick in behind for Adam Lanigan to get on the end of and finish brilliantly.

Fylde were in complete control as the clock ticked away to half-time but three minute before the interval they were reduced to 14 men when flanker Valu Tanē Bentley was yellow carded for a bizarre tactical foul. The referee believed the forward had prevented Billingham from taking a penalty quickly by tackling his man and not retreating 10 metres. The visitors made the most of this man advantage, scoring their first try a minute into the second-half through Jonathon Horner. The winger ran in after a great bending run. Scrum-half Sam Heron couldn’t add the extras.

Fylde saw out the remainder of Bentley’s sin bin before getting their fifth try on the board. Not to be out done by his brother Sam, Tom Carleton picked up his third try of the season following another smooth backline move down the left. Smith couldn’t add the conversion like his previous three attempts he had. The hosts built pressure in the following 20 minutes, but with no clinical edge as Alex Loney and Chris Briers rang the changes. Experienced players such as David Fairbrother, Ben Gregory, Corey Bowker and Toby Harrison were rested as Joe Osivwemu, Sam Parker, Cameron Railton and James Robinson got their chance to impress.

It was looking like a comfortable victory for Fylde with five minutes remaining but a Kirkbride try in the 75th minute started a late fightback from the newly promoted outfit. Two minutes after Kirkbride’ effort his forward partner Walton got his name on the scoresheet with close range effort. Peter Evans added both conversions to set up a thrilling final few minutes with Billingham in range of a losing bonus point and try bonus point.

This try came in the last minute of the match after Billingham had been held up twice by Fylde on their try line. Tighthead prop Dixon powered over from short range to earn the try bonus point before Evans converted brilliantly to pick up another point for his side to the delight of the band of loyal travelling supporters who had made the 135 miles journey from the North East.

Fylde came away with five points for the second week running, but Billingham’s late hat trick of tries will frustrate the home side.

Click here for another superb album of photos by Chris Farrow.

Fylde Man of the match: Sam Carleton

Fylde team: S.Carleton; Turner, Dorrington, T.Carleton, Lanigan (Cadley 62); Smith, Gould; Brooks (Bowker 67), Gregory (Parker 40), Bowker (Osivwemu 47), Hall-Lyon, Garrod, Harrison (Railton 54), Bentley, Fairbrother (Robinson 40)

Billingham: Husband; Ross, Groark (Roxby 49), Youll, Horner (Campbell 73); Evans, Heron; Brown (Dixon 73), Foulds (Graham 47), Spoors (Dixon 20, Spoors 67), Walton, Kirkbride (Scarborough 47), Burns (Kirkbride 72), Jackson, Walton.