Fylde 28-34 Tynedale: match report by Stuart McCracken
Fylde fell to their fourth straight defeat in the National League 2 North with a 34-28 loss to Tynedale at the Woodlands. This is their worst losing sequence since April 2018 in National One.
The visitors scored four tries by the 28th minute to lead 22-3 before Fylde responded with two tries of their own from Tom Carleton and Ben Gregory to cut the deficit to seven before the break.
Fylde took the lead of the first time in the match after the interval but two further tries from Dale saw them go back to Tyneside with all five points, while Fylde had to settle for two losing bonus points.
Tynedale began the better of the two sides taking the lead in less than 60 seconds with full-back Rob Parker finding space out wide to go over. The visitors missed the conversion through Josh Leslie but quickly doubled their try tally in the 7th minute when Oscar Caudle buried his way over. The hooker powered over from a few yards out to put the north east side in the ascendancy with only seven minutes played. Leslie converted the resulting kick this time to put Tynedale 12-0 up. In between the tries, Fylde’s Toby Harrison received a yellow card for a high tackle, something referee Jack Moorhouse was very hot on.
Fylde finally got on the scoreboard win the 15th minute when Greg Smith converted a penalty after a Tynedale player didn’t roll away from the ruck. The match was very stop start in the opening stages with the penalty count quickly getting into double figures. Tynedale responded well with no 8 Joe Hanning crashing over from a rolling maul from the tail of a lineout to gain their third try. Leslie couldn’t add the extras.
The hosts lack of discipline was costing them with a series of penalties leading to Dale running in their fourth and bonus point try before the half hour mark. Winger Ben Riley, who had barely seen the ball, ran in unopposed down the right to extend the visitors’ lead. Five minutes later it was Fylde who were going over the whitewash, as centre Tom Carleton showed immense strength to drive twice and stretch to score. Smith converted the score to cut Dale’s lead to 12.
Dale were reduced to 14 men when Joe Lilley was sin binned for not rolling away at a ruck and Fylde took full advantage of this with captain Ben Gregory scoring on what was his 150th appearance for the club. The hooker scored from a rolling maul, which just had enough momentum for him to drive over. Smith couldn’t convert the try meaning the hosts trailed by seven points at the interval, 15-22.
Fylde continued to be in the ascendancy after the interval with Smith executing a perfect 50-22 three minutes after the break to help set up Fylde’s third try. From the resulting lineout, Smith kicked across the field to winger Ben Turner, who competed well for the high ball, but when the ball dropped loose it was full-back Alex Clayton who reacted quickest to touch the ball down.
Clayton hadn’t played for Fylde since the opening matchday but was involved in Fylde’s bonus point score seven minutes later. The full-back turned into the side’s playmaker to put front row forward Corey Bowker through a hole in the 51st minute and the loosehead prop showed a clean pair of heels to race over from 35m out. Smith, as with the previous try, couldn’t add the extras but the score had put Fylde into the lead for the first time in the match.
The hosts thought they were through again minutes after their fourth score when outside centre Jordan Dorrington was thrown a pass out the back but he couldn’t hold on, which could have resulted in a fifth try for his side.
In the 54th minute this roller coaster of a game switched again as Tynedale’s fly-half Leslie burst through some weak tackling to score a crucial try, converting it himself, for a 25-29 lead. Visiting Dale received their second yellow card in the 61st minute for persistent penalties in their own 22. The departing player was Dale flanker Henry Wainwright but Fylde couldn’t make the most of the man advantage with Smith being held up on the line.
The number of players for each team was levelled up in the 68th minute when Pete Altham was yellow carded for a dump tackle.
Tynedale took due advantage of the extra man in the 73rd minute when replacement prop Ben Haigh forced his way over for his side’s 6th try. Replacement kicker Jake Rodgers missed the conversion but Tynedale were clear at 25-34.
In the 75th minute Fylde cut the deficit to just six points with Smith successfully converting a penalty in front of the posts to set up a nervy final five minutes.
Fylde had opportunities in the remaining five minutes to pile the pressure on their visitors but failed to keep hold of the ball in key moments and ultimately didn’t have the quality on the day to get another try on the board resulting in another defeat for Chris Briers and Alex Loney’s side.
Fylde face a daunting trip to league leaders Leeds Tykes next weekend as they try and halt their losing streak.
Chris Farrow’s action photos are at: https://bit.ly/3QjHm6M
Fylde Man of the Match: Ben Gregory
Fylde team:
Clayton, Turner, Dorrington, T.Carleton, S.Carleton, Smith, Gould, Bowker, Gregory, Raymont, Parkinson, Garrod, Ashcroft, Bentley, Harrison
Replacements: Brooks, Altham, Railton, Parker, Lanigan
Tynedale:
Parker, Riley, Lilley, Miller, Hutton, Leslie, Telford, White, Oliver, Caudle, Wearmouth, Nankivell, Dunn, Wainwright, Hanning
Replacements: Rewcastle, Haigh, Cousin, Douglas, Rodgers.