Encouraging Signs at Fylde

With the festivities behind us and clearly by the snug fitting shirts being extra snug! A good time was had by all last Saturday.

An away trip to old friends Fylde saw the bottom of the table 2s with a full ish squad make the trip to the seaside.

The 2s had the usual variety in age ability and weight ! But also debutante Rob Lee was on the bench alongside fairly new Mathew Walton and the ever hungry lean mean scrummaging machine that is Richard Murray - we looked set. No wait; the White brothers having been given dodgy instructions from the skipper were still on route!
A quick rehash of plans saw all bar Murray start, and for ten mins Fylde pounded on the door. The maroons were tackling for all they were worth but alas Fylde opened there account with some great running from their big pack .
Before the restart, on came the Whites slotting into the centres, to the collective groans from the Fylde boys who had clearly had seen the brothers before.

But the maroons seamed to stall and Fylde capitalised with four unanswered tries but only converted 2. The mighty maroons had a huddle under the posts and then woke up.
From the restart John' the machine' Bank, causing chaos all game, and Jaime 'Mr Utility' Taylor put Fylde under immense pressure. George Hamlet got the quick recycles to HP Farnsworth and Jim Smith. Then young George picked and went with the skipper on his shoulder (for 4 whole steps - seems unlikely -edit) and was away to grab the maroons first of the day. Matt Probert added the extras.

Young Aiden Walton learning his craft in the second row, was also jumping well in the line out. After securing the restart three more phases saw the maroons inside the Fylde 22. Hamlet with the dummy, bought Smith time who snaffled the the pass and was off . His tight shorts straining as the prop ran, bull like for glory the touchline flag flapping at his nose the closest he could get to the whitewash. The ball coming back through the line with good hands and lines made it look effortless, but alas the Fylde full back saw the gap to grab the intercept to score Fyldes last of the day on half time.

With everyone calm at the interval there was no shouting or words, other than we are here to have fun aint we? the maroons regrouped for the second half .

The kick off and Fylde were under pressure; ball through the hands - Connor, Sam & Bleasy linking beautifully and young Phil forrest Winstanley showing the young pups he has a turn of pace still.
Fylde's big number eight ran a line - up stepped Hamlet, not even half his size, down went the big man - and off went George for a rest!

Perfect time for some changes; Connor to 9, Bleasdale to 13, the fearless Austin Wensly to full back and ex colt Rob Lee to the wing. In the forwards; off went Jaime T ,for a breather and comb his luxurious locks, Aiden Walton too. Like a spring lamb (really?) on bounded Murray and Mathew Walton.
It didn’t take long before this pack would be tested, with John Bank now at 8 - or maybe openside - who knew? and HP Farnsworth in the engine room the pack grunted. And like a well oiled machine , started to march the Fylde old boys backwards.

The ball pinged out Sam zig zagging up to half way. Then the home flanker coming up with the ball from the breakdown was met by John the machine Bank who ripped, rolled and ran over the 22, the 10 & the 5, where he was brought to a halt. But not before off loading to Sam who zig zagged to the far corner. No extras. Although Sam scored, the hard stuff done by Bank.

The ref had decided that Eddo’s throwing at the line was far from straight (windage was more the issue ) so for the umpteenth time it was scrum time. Some say the maroon pack is a docile creature, but not as it appears when they can smell blood .
On the Fylde 22 & against the head the legs pumped, the big lads grunted and in a flurry of studs and fury the drive was on - marching them back at a rate of knots . Scrum collapsed - reset maroon ball. This time ball again won an as the Fylde front row collapsed and disappeared under the skipper and Farnsworths boots a metre from the line, Connor was over the line with ball in hand. But no luck for the sharp thinking scrum half: penalty try awarded!
That was that 38-19 to Fylde, the result not really reflecting the game.
A great first game from Rob Lee making a ferocious try saving tackle late in the game, but by far man of the match had to be John bank schooling young Mathew Walton, and should of had his name on the score sheet.

But onwards to next week.

Report by KK