Stour run comes to an end as Fylde shine
FYLDE maintained their unbeaten home record in the league, as their team managed to end Stourbridge’s winning run with a fine performance in the wind and rain.
Stourbridge’s ill-discipline threatened to cost them early on when they gave away back-toback penalties, but they started to dominate the early exchanges with the strength of their forwards.
Fylde, though, were sticking with the league leaders, and went over for the opening try of the game after 16 minutes, when a well-placed kick through was picked up by Tom Carleton, who dived on the loose ball to score.
Greg Smith couldn’t convert, but minutes later the home side were in again, when Scott Rawlings burst through the line to score, Smith missed again, but Fylde had an early 10-0 lead.
David Fairbrother was then sent to the sin-bin after 27 minutes, and Fylde were made to pay, as the visitors got themselves back in the game when Stefan Thorp
took a quick penalty tap to score.
The try was converted by Sebastien Atkinson, and at half-time it was all to play for with Fylde narrowly in front 10-7.
With no improvement in the weather conditions for the second-half, both teams were still locked in a battle of the forwards, and Fylde were first to score again, when a chip kick over the top found Ben Turner who collected to score.
Smith missed from the touchline, but Fylde had increased their lead to 15-7.
Stourbridge then lost two players to yellow cards, first Immanuel Feyi-Waboso then Ben O’Sullivan, as the hosts continued to search for a try to put the game out of sight.
They hit back with a penalty conversion after 79 minutes to give them a slight hope, and they almost snatched it at the end, when Fylde’s Greg Smith failed to find touch with a kick and Stourbridge’s Dan Rundle tried to kick the ball clear towards the Fylde sticks, but it was just too strong and ended up over the dead-ball line.
It meant Stourbridge’s unbeaten run in the league was over, and Fylde’s home record was still intact, with the final score being Fylde 15-10 Stourbridge.
Fylde joint-manager Chris Briers was delighted with his side’s efforts after the game, saying: “I’m pleased with the lads because the conditions out there were difficult to play in at times, and in the second half there we really dug deep for each other to come up with the points.”
Speaking about the heart-stopping moment at the end he said: “I could see the ball going back and I just remember screaming at my players to get back and honestly it was just a relief when the ball went over the dead-ball line.”