Tynedale 45 v Fylde 22: match report by Simon Taylor
A depleted Fylde came back from their longest road trip of the season with wounded pride to add to their long list of injuries. After going toe to toe and tit for tat with Tynedale in the first half, and leading 17-10 after 45 minutes, a torrid 15-minute spell, including some self-inflicted wounds, saw Fylde’s efforts implode, and took the game out of their reach. They managed to salvage a try bonus point, scored the best three tries of the game, and there were some notable performances from those stepping up to the plate. However, they will want to forget a final 35 minutes that saw them concede that exact number of points, as well as 3 yellow cards, 2 of those leading to penalty tries.
With Fairbrother, Ashcroft, Hall-Lyon, Harrison and Corrie missing from the pack, Oli Parkinson was moved from the second row to become Fylde’s fourth starting number 8 this season, with replacement hooker Sam Parker once again asked to play at wing forward. The backs were missing Scott Rawlings, Jordan Dorrington and both Tom and Sam Carleton, meaning Tom Forster partnered Sam Stott in the centres and young Freddie Reader was given a start at full back.
On a dry day with little wind, and the picturesque setting of Corbridge in the background, a good crowd was all set to be entertained with an open game and lots of points. Slow to get off the bus, Fylde conceded an early penalty and were pinned deep. With another penalty advantage being played, Tynedale chanced their arm with a cross-field kick, the ball was batted back, and hooker Jonny Cousin forced his way over for the early score on 2 minutes and put the home side 5-0 up.
Fylde worked the journey out of their legs and themselves into the game. On 9 minutes a penalty was kicked to touch, the catch and drive set up, skipper Ben Gregory peeled off and did well to take two defenders over the line with him. Greg Smith kicked a lovely conversion and Fylde were 7-5 ahead. Sadly, that to be Smith’s only success from the kicking tee.
Fylde increased their lead on 15 minutes with a lovely long range try. With their scrum under pressure on their own 22, Parkinson picked from the base and fed Will Wooton, who put Freddie Reader away. Reader offloaded to give Adam Lanigan space and he chipped over the last defender, re-gathered and scorched in for a belter, increasing the Fylde lead to 12-5. Holding on to leads, and increasing them, was going to prove pivotal in this game, and Fylde let Tynedale back into it just 4 minutes later when their veteran skipper, the hard running Chris Wearmouth, crashed over, conversion missed, Fylde’s lead reduced to 12-10.
Fylde were keen to use any ball they got, and their willingness to break from deep was evident. From an overthrown Tynedale line out near the Fylde line, Sam Parker tidied up, broke blind and put Ben Turner in space. He chipped over, Fylde won the next ball, and Freddie Reader set off on a mazy run which Tynedale managed to snuff out close to their own line, breathless stuff. Both teams had their chances in the closing stages of the first half, but neither took them, and Fylde still held their narrow 2-point lead at the break.
Fylde started the second half well and were next to score on 43 minutes. Valu Tane Bentley tracked back well and forced a knock on near halfway. From the scrum, Fylde produced a set move in the backs and Adam Lanigan burst through the defence, picked his pass well and gave Freddie Reader the chance to jink past the last 2 defenders for another excellent try, and put Fylde 17-10 up.
However, Fylde could not hold the lead for more than a few minutes, and the next 15 minutes was to cost them dearly. Firstly, poor box kick execution saw Fylde penalised for players being in front of the kicker. The penalty was kicked to touch, and Tynedale battered away at the Fylde try line. Defence held firm until another penalty was conceded, scrum half James Telford catching Fylde napping with the quick tap and go, and he was over, with Josh Leslie successful from the tee for the first time, and the scores were level at 17 apiece.
Things began to unravel and implode for Fylde, if those two things can happen simultaneously. Just minutes later Oli Parkinson mistimed his cover tackle and clotheslined the Tynedale number 10, the yellow card inevitable. The penalty was kicked to touch, the catch and drive set up, and this was adjudged pulled down by Matt Garrod, penalty try and another yellow card being the double whammy. From being 17-10 up just 7 minutes earlier Fylde were now 24-17 down and 2 men down for 10 minutes. To their credit, they defended stoutly and desperately, but time ran out just as the first yellow was about to be reversed, as they ran out of defenders, winger Seamus Hutton the man to profit. Leslie knocked over another conversion and Tynedale were now 31-17 up after 59 minutes.
Fylde were soon back to full strength, gathered their collective will and forced another Tynedale knock on near the home 22. The ball was quickly spun wide, and a brief spell of juggling by Greg Smith worked in his favour as the defence came up in a dog-leg. Smith dummied, found the gap, drew the last man, and put Adam Lanigan in for his second try of the day. Unfortunately, Smith could not add the conversion, so Fylde were still two scores back at 31-22 down, albeit with a 4 try bonus point secured.
With 19 minutes left and Fylde at full strength again, they had time on their side. However, once again, they were unable to keep Tynedale out for long after scoring themselves, and in fact gifted them the next try just 3 minutes later. A miscommunication on halfway saw the Fylde supporting man unaware he was the intended recipient, the ball bounced off him, was snapped by Tynedale’s promising England Under 20’s player Jacob Oliver, and he raced in from 50 yards, converted for 38-22.
Fylde’s gloom turned into despair as another quick score was conceded. A penalty was kicked deep, a further penalty conceded, and when the Tynedale player employed the quick tap and go again, Matt Garrod was deemed to have hit him with a no arms tackle. His second yellow meant a red, and the referee also deemed a try would have been scored, so Mr P Try was on the scoresheet again. Fylde were 45-22 down and would have to play the last 15 minutes with 14 men.
Again, Fylde battled back, forcing pressure and territory in the last 5 minutes as they looked for a fifth try. Sadly, it was just not their day, summed up by a tap and go 5 yards out from the Tynedale line turning into Fylde being bounced back through 3 phases until they were on their own halfway line. They did keep their own line intact during the final stages and the final whistle put their second half woes to an end.
There is no doubt Fylde faced challenges with so many players missing, at a ground where Tynedale always give you a tough game. There is also no doubt that they did not help their own cause in the second half, with 3 yellow cards, two of them resulting in 14 points through penalty tries, giving them the proverbial mountain to climb.
This was the most points they have conceded in a game this year, and the biggest losing margin. There were plus points though, as they picked up a try bonus point, and with players like Freddie Reader and Sam Parker, who have had limited game time so far, both having excellent games, Reader being named Fylde’s man of the match by Tynedale. As ever, there was no lack of effort and application, but perhaps a lack of savvy and game management at crucial times, leading to frustration and lack of discipline, all resulting in a tough and chastening day at the office.
Fylde remain in fifth on 57 points, 5 points behind Wharfedale who have a game in hand, and with Sheffield Tigers and Tynedale snapping at their heels 3 points behind, Tynedale also having a game in hand.
Joint head coach Alex Loney said: ‘We are disappointed with today and the result, which is a testament to how Tynedale took hold of the game in the second half. After a first half that ebbed & flowed we got ahead early in the second half, then that crazy 15 minutes followed, with yellow cards and penalty tries. We got 15 men back, got the bonus point try and felt we were in a position to compete for the win, however, too many unforced errors gave Tynedale back-to-back scores and credit to Tynedale they deserved the win. Looking forward we need to individually and collectively look at what we can control ahead of the test we will face at Huddersfield next week.’
Click here for a collection of excellent match photos by Tynedale’s John and Barbara Austin.
Fylde:
Reader; Turner, Forster (Deeks 52), Stott, Lanigan; Smith, Wooton; Brooks (Bowker 45), Gregory (c), Altham, (Raymont 45, Altham 74), Garrod, Burrow, Parker (Clayton 62), Parkinson, Bentley.
Unused sub: Gould
Tynedale:
Parker, Beaty, Forlow, Scott, Hutton, Leslie, Telford, White, Frankland, Caudle, Dunn, Wearmouth (c), Cousin, Vassalo, Oliver
Subs: Hughes, Rewcastle, Nankivell, Douglas, Lilley.
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