A late Tom Shard drop goal earns Lymm first ever win at Fylde in a nerve-wracking afternoon at the Woodlands.
Fylde thought they had won a tight and mistake ridden game late on with a penalty try in the final minute before Shard kicked a drop goal to win the match for Lymm with the last kick of the game in overtime.
Shard was the star of the show for the visitors, kicking all 15 of Lymm’s points as Fylde lost their second match in a row in National League 2 North.
The visitors, who were making their first National League visit to the Woodlands, began in a positive manner with fly-half Tom Shard kicking them in front after six minutes following a series of high tackle penalties by Fylde.
Lymm’s kicking game caused Fylde numerous problems early on with a number of dropped balls by Fylde players in the opening proceedings. Scrum-half Callum Morris’ box kicks were very effective in getting Lymm up the pitch and putting serious pressure on home defenders in the very wet conditions.
Lymm didn’t just show off the kicking game early on but they displayed their ball handling skills in the 10th minute to get on the outside of the Fylde defence, but winger Ben Turner got back excellently to intercept a pass and stop the promising attack.
Fylde, who were looking to bounce back from their first league defeat last time out at Wharfedale, didn’t start well at all with numerous handling errors causing frustration among the Woodlands faithful watching on.
Lymm extended their lead to six with another Shard penalty in the 17th minute after Fylde were adjudged not to be rolling away at the tackle breakdown.
Fylde grew into the game in the latter stages of the 1st half with captain Ben Gregory finally getting their first points of the game in the 35th minute.
The hooker burrowed his way over the line after Greg Smith had initially made a half break with a delayed pass to Gregory. After the break Fylde showed patience to go over and get themselves on the scoreboard.
Fylde led 7-6 at the interval but a penalty three minutes into the 2nd half Lymm were back in front from the ever reliable boot of Shard.
Only a minute after the penalty Fylde looked certain to score when Tom Forster was put through a hole by Tom Carleton but Adam Lanigan, who received the tip on by Forster, knocked the ball on just as he was about to crash over for the hosts.
Lymm had a missed opportunity themselves when Patrick Jennings raced in behind to pick up a Callum Morris kick but the winger was taken down by the retreating Fylde defenders just before the line.
Shard’s trusty boot extended the visitors lead once again in the 57th minute when a Fylde player committed a high tackle.
Lymm’s fly-half was controlling the match at this point, kicking his side into the right positions time after time. Fylde upped the pressure on their opponents with 12 minutes to go when Matt Garrod collected a lineout and the pack drove towards the Lymm line, but Sean Callander, Lymm’s openside flanker, took the lineout down just as it looked like it was crashing over to pick himself up a yellow card.
Lymm were reduced further to 13 men when James Sherlock went into the bin for a high tackle as Fylde were building pressure in Lymm’s 22.
The hosts looked to be making this pressure count with replacements, including debutant on loan Sale Sharks Academy scrum-half Will Wootton, bringing fresh legs to the last ditch efforts. In the 77th minute fly-half Smith executed a perfect cross-field kick to Tom Carleton, but the inside centre couldn’t hold on to the wet ball as he was tackled close to the try line.
Lymm’s resolve was finally broken in the last minute of the match when referee George Ounsley awarded the hosts a penalty try. This came after a Lymm player deliberately knocked the ball on to stop a certain try in the corner. Toby Harrison was about to play the ball inside to Valu Tane Bentley to score when it was illegally stopped (see photo above).
With just the last play to negotiate Fylde thought they had snatched victory from the hands of defeat with a 14-12 lead but it was Lymm who had the last laugh. Lymm were awarded a lineout from the resultant kick-off and from there built pressure on Fylde with dominant carries before Shard dropped in the pocket and excellently kicked a drop goal to steal the win for Lymm.
This was Fylde’s second defeat in a row as league newcomers Lymm get their second win in a row in National League 2 North to the delight of their players, coaches and supporters.
Click here for Chris Farrow’s photo album.
Fylde Man of the match: Ben Gregory
Fylde team:
S.Carleton (Cadley 66), Turner, Forster, T.Carleton, Lanigan, Smith, Gould (Wootton 58), Bowker (Brooks 33), Gregory, Altham (Bowker 55), Ashcroft (Garrod 63), Garrod (Deeks 55), Hall-Lyon (Deeks 24, Hall-Lyon 28), Bentley, Harrison
Replacement: Railton
Lymm:
Reynolds, Williams, Pilkington, Kimber, Jennings, Shard, Morris, Woods, Pitcher, Hand, Yates, Lilly, Callender, Hadland, Lilly
Replacements: Higgins, Sherlock, Martin, Stride,
