Lots to be proud of but Blaydon lose again!!
Fylde started on the front foot from the kick off and after 5 mins of building numerous phases number 8 David Fairbrother went over in the corner. Fly half Greg Smith was unlucky as he hit the post with the conversion.
Blaydon’s response was strong and from a midfield scrum they went right to James Cooney and then quickly recycled and spun it out left and winger Jonny Ashman took play to the Fylde 22 and a clever off-load was picked up by centre Zach Thompson to score out wide. Scrum half John Clarkson’s conversion was unsuccessful.
The next 25 minutes went by with both teams playing positive rugby and testing the oppositions defence but each time either team got momentum they made a mistake, so they were cancelling each other out with good well organised defence. Frustratingly for the home side, on 33 minutes Fylde sprung to life through centre Sam Stott who ran a strong line through the Blaydon defence and full back Jordan Dorrington was on hand to take his path and score. Greg Smith converting this time.
Blaydon’s response was immediate and Replacement Full back Lewis Williams made a good break from inside his own half and his Kick ahead took play to the Fylde 5m line and a few forward drives later Hooker Charlie Smith went over the line to score. John Clarkson added the extras.
Half time Blaydon 12 v Fylde 12
The 2nd half started where both teams finished the 2nd with both teams playing positive attacking rugby. On 49 minutes a number of Blaydon penalties took Fylde to the Blaydon line and eventually Greg Smith went over in the corner much to the frustration of the home side who had seen a clear knock on in the build-up to the try, Smith failed to convert his own try.
The game turned at this point and it seemed so did Blaydon’s luck and to an extent their composure, and on 57minutes with Blaydon now down to 13 men thanks to 2 yellow cards. Replacement centre / prop Scott Rawlings went through a stretched Blaydon defence to score unopposed. Smith converted.
Blaydon fought valiantly for the next 20 minutes and were pushing hard to be the next scorer but errors cost Blaydon field position and shortly after another Blaydon yellow card, Fylde Centre Connor Wilkinson went over for a try in the last play of the game. Greg smith converting
This was a harsh end to what was a good performance by the home side, some great intensity in defence and some strong attacking play by the backs. However we come away from the game with nothing apart from a feeling that if we can play with that level of effort and enterprise again against teams further down the table, we will surely start picking up points.
Full Time: Blaydon 12 v Fylde 31
Blaydon: Bailey, Ashman, Cooney (C ), Thompson, Obonna, Dowell, Clarkson, Siddle, Smith, Dodds, Barry, Phillips, Turnbull, Roy, Hall-Lyon
Replacements: Sanderson, Rewcastle, Leggetter, Douglas, Williams
Fylde: Dorrington, Turner, Wilkinson, Stott, Grimes, Smith, Potts, Barrow, Gregory (C ), Bowker, Parkinson, Corry, Harrison, Higginson, Fairbrother (C)
Replacements: Parker, Higgins, Garrod, Lanigan, Rawlings
REFEREE: Daniel Woods
ATTENDANCE: 205
STAR MAN: Fylde – Greg Smith
Scorers:
Blaydon 12
Tries: Thompson 10, Smith 34
Conversions: Clarkson 35
Penalties:
Fylde 31
Tries: Fairbrother 4, Dorrington 30, Smith 49, Rawlings 57 Wilkinson 79
Conversions: Smith 31, 58, 80
Penalties:
