The Blackpool Gazette’s Andy Moore spoke to Fylde Joint Head Coach Chris Briers during the week. [Reproduced courtesy of the Gazette]
————– ————–
Team boss Chris Briers hopes that matches against the league’s top two this weekend and next will bring the best out of his Fylde RFC side.
Before visiting National Two North’s unbeaten leaders Sheffield, Fylde look to complete a double over second-placed Macclesfield at home this Saturday (3pm), having won 21-19 in Cheshire in October.
Fylde are also looking to bounce back from last weekend’s first away defeat of the season at Hull, ending a club-record six-game winning run on the road.
Macclesfield arrive at the Woodlands with seven successive wins behind them but joint-head coach Briers told The Gazette: “It seems to happen that you find extra motivation against the top teams and that can be a bit more difficult against the lower teams.
“You know you have to be at your best against the big guns and I’m sure we’ll be ready and looking to put things right.”
Briers felt Fylde contributed to their own downfall in Saturday’s 34-31 defeat at Hull, despite outscoring their hosts by five tries to four.
Having led three times in the first half, Fylde found themselves chasing the game in the second and Briers added: “We didn’t really get a foothold in the match.
“When we had the ball, we scored some good tries but we didn’t have prolonged periods in control.
“Possession kept changing hands, we gave away penalties and they scored from them. Problems were of our own making and we did invite them back into the game.”
Winger Leo Gilliland pulled up in the warm-up, resulting in a backline reshuffle, though Briers revealed this wasn’t as disruptive as it might appear.
He explained: “There was a concern over Leo’s fitness in the week and we had trained for that eventuality. As it turned out, we didn’t want to risk him.”
A late penalty invited Fylde to draw the game with a goal, though the opportunity was spurned as the players opted to seek a match-winning try.
Briers added: “We’ve never been a team where the management make those decisions.
“The players are the ones who have a feel for the game and if they feel they have the momentum, we’ll back them to go for the try, though it doesn’t always pay off.”
It didn’t on Humberside but Briers agrees there wasn’t much to be gained from an unprecedented fourth draw this season.
“As a club, we’re all for going for the win,” he said.
“We’d only have got one more point (three instead of two) with a draw, whereas a win would have got us five.”