LASTTIMEOUT: FYLDE DOWN DALE TO SECURE FOURTH
WHARFEDALE 22 V FYLDE 36: MATCH 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
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