Wharfedale 22 v Fylde 36: report by Simon Taylor
Fylde made the always much anticipated trip to the picturesque setting of Wharfedale for their last away trip of the season. They came back with some battered bodies but also a full complement of 5 league points as they outscored the hosts 6 tries to 3. This was despite playing almost 50 minutes a man down, after Chris Rudkin was red carded late on in the first half. He was perhaps unlucky, or at least unlucky to be the only player dismissed, given Fylde lost another man in the same incident, to an eye injury.
With Will Hunt unavailable, Alex Clayton was asked to play the number 10 role, a tough position to fil in at. Things did not start well as Clayton’s opening kick-off went out on the full, giving Wharfedale the scrum on halfway. From this they stretched the Fylde defence both ways before finding an inside line for their own deputising number 10, Omari Kaup-Samuels to scoot in under the posts, converting his own try to give Wharfedale an early 7-0 lead. It was a lead that didn’t last long, as Fylde won possession back from the re-start, Dave Fairbrother made a half break on the left and found Corey Bowker on his shoulder, Bowker taking the ball at pace to run in from 15 out. Clayton’s first conversion attempt slid wide, but Fylde were on the board at 7-5 down.
The fast start to the game did not let up as Fylde forced more possession and territory, a big bust in midfield by skipper Toby Harrison seeing them move downfield towards the river. A first chance was bombed as the last pass flew into touch, but Fylde soon had another chance, after another good line break, this time by Ben Dorrington, and Sam Stott’s strength allowed him to stretch out when held up just short and force the ball down for a go-ahead try. Clayton converted this time, and it was 12-7 to Fylde after 12 minutes.
Just when it looked like a sun-soaked points fest might be on the cards, defences tightened up for a 15-minute spell before a high tackle by Fylde on their own 22 allowed Kaup-Samuels to knock over a penalty to make it 12-10. Back came Fylde again, Clayton had settled into the game and was later to be named Fylde’s man of the match by the home team. His line kicking from penalties moved Fylde into the danger zone again, and this time it was skipper Harrison who was strong enough on the line to dot down, a gorgeous conversion from wide out by Clayton nudging Fylde further ahead at 19-10 on the half hour mark.
On a scorchio of a day the Fylde coaches decided to rest props Bowker & Pete Altham on the half hour mark, with Chris Rudkin and Rob King replacing them. This rest period was to be a very short one however, as a Wharfedale catch and drive line out near Fylde’s line just 3 minutes later resulted in the assistant referee alerting his senior counterpart to foul play. The result was a rather bemused looking Rudkin being shown a red card for punching and Rob King leaving the field having been punched. Friendly fire was doubtful, so it is possible Fylde were unfortunate to be the only ones to suffer sanction in this incident. Fylde would now have to play nearly 50 minutes a man down, and Bowker & Altham were back in the fray before they could get much air back in their lungs.
Fylde dug deep as Wharfedale looked to take immediate advantage, and some stout defence kept the home team out. When they were finally able to turn ball over and exit with penalties, Fylde made a smash and grab last foray into opposition territory, setting up a catch and drive which at the second attempt Sam Stott joined and crashed over for his second try, meaning Fylde had not only survived but had managed to increase their lead to 24-10 at the break.
In the second stanza Stott did not reappear, having taken a blow to the nose, the second facial injury he has received at this venue in recent years. Ben Turner replaced him, and Lewis Quinn came on for Greg Morgan. Wharfedale started strongly and made an early breakthrough with replacement Josh Burridge forcing his way over to make it 24-15, as they sought to use the slope and extra man to fight their way back into the game.
The second half gradually began to become more fractious and spikier, the officials having to work hard to keep control. Quinn’s spell was brief as he was forced off on 51 minutes, Matt Ashcroft making a welcome return. In amongst the heavy ball carrying and fierce defensive efforts from both packs, the effort was made to create space for the flair brigade out wide. On 52 minutes Fylde managed to execute a back move perfectly with deft hands giving winger Adam Lanigan just enough space to get over in the left corner and stretch the lead out to 29-15. Personnel numbers were then evened up as Wharfedale’s Dan Wills, only just on the pitch, tipped a player off the ball and was yellow carded.
Fylde continued to do the hard work and look to release the ball when it was on, and they finally gave Freddie Reader his first real chance of the day on 61 minutes, a chance he accepted, as he jinked the first man, broke clear and left the last man grasping at thin air as he raced in from halfway, making Clayton’s conversion a formality. Fylde finally had some daylight at 36-15.
The feisty side of the game was never far from the surface. Fylde won another penalty, but it was reversed when they pushed the man over trying to get the ball off him for the quick tap. Wharfedale were then down to 14 men again as Jake Armstrong was yellow carded on 65 minutes in an incident that saw Dave Fairbrother replaced by Ben Dorrington as the attritional collisions took their toll. Wharfedale’s Green Machine never gives up, and they created a good score from being under the cosh. First, they stole Fylde line out near they own line, then earned a penalty which they hoofed down into Fylde’s 22. The catch and drive sucked in the Fylde defence, and they then span the ball, Fylde running out of defenders as Zeb Heys crossed for the score. Replacement Jimmy Howarth converted and with 9 minutes left it was 36-22.
Fylde came back at Wharfedale and had an easily kickable penalty which would have put them 3 scores clear. Pragmatism being low on the agenda, they chose to tap and go and were turned over. As Wharfedale looked to exit searching for a bonus point try and to make the last few minutes nervy ones, Fylde winger Cam Smith knocked on looking for the one-handed interception. The inevitable yellow card followed, and Fylde were down to 13 against 15. Good defence meant they could see out time and deny the home team even the consolation of a try bonus point.
Often, at the end of the season, on firm pitches, with the sun shining, defence can become less intense than usual. There was none of that in this game, despite there being 9 tries, it was bruising and physical stuff, with a decent amount of flair breaking out for good measure. A good-sized crowd was treated to a fierce no holds-barred game. A rest week with only 1 game left in the season seemed daft a while ago but now is a godsend. Having worked very hard to secure fourth spot, Fylde will look to get ready for one last battle with yet another Yorkshire team, when second placed Sheffield visit the Woodlands on the 26th of April.
Joint head coach Alex Loney said; “We are very happy with the performance and the win. Wharfedale is a tough place to come, especially with us both trying to finish fourth and it was great to secure that which represents a good achievement. It was a mixture of physicality, being brave with the ball and some good tries scored, in the face of some adversity, being down to 14 men for a long time. The scrum really held up and the forwards fronted up against a tough pack.”
Click here for video coverage of Fylde’s six tries.
WHARFEDALE
15 Bullough, 14 Bullock, 13 Prell, 12 Blackwell, 11 Viner, 10 Kaup-Samuels (Howarth 58), 9 Riddiough, 8 Baldwin, 7 Weston (Burridge 33, Collinson 60, Meehan 65), 6 Hedgley, 5 Stockton, 4 Heys, 3 Armstrong (Beecroft 75), 2 Collinson (Wills 51, Meehan), 1 Dickinson.
FYLDE
15 Reader; 14 Smith, 13 Forster, 12 Stott (Turner 41), 11 Lanigan; 10 Clayton, 9 Gaughan; 1 Bowker (Rudkin 30), 2 Williamson, 3 Altham (King 30, Altham 33), 4 Walton, 5 Morgan (Quinn 40, Ashcroft 51), 6 Harrison (c), 7 Dorrington B (Bowker 34), 8 Fairbrother (Dorrington B 67).
