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Blame me says leader Nelson
Huddersfield 44 Fylde RU 32 DIRECTOR of rugby Mark Nelson accepted the blame for failing to motivate his players on the day their slim title hopes officially died.
While Nuneaton were being crowned National Three North champions and clinching the sole promotion place, Fylde couldn't muster the intensity they needed to close out a typically high-scoring end-of-season affair.
Fylde remain second because neither Caldy nor Macclesfield managed to win either, though Nelson admitted: "If I take credit for the wins I also have to take responsibility for the defeats. I tried to motivate the players but struck the wrong chord on this occasion.
"I think Matt Filipo got in right in the dressing room. Matt has played for Bath and for New Zealand Colts, and he spoke passionately about Fylde being his club and about what it means to play for Fylde.
"I wanted a win which would have guaranteed second place and it was my call to go for all-out attack, though it did not pay off."
Fylde led at half-time and were 32-28 up approaching the final quarter only for a Yorkshire side still battling for survival to show the added desire to finish the stronger.
Fylde fly-half Steve Nutt traded early penalties with opposite number Chris Johnson at Lockwood Park in an end-to-end first half.
Huddersfield scored the opening try, when teenage centre Matt Clark got the better of Nick Royle to nip in and Johnson's goal made it 10-3.
The home side took advantage of Fylde indiscipline to move into a 16-3 lead after 17 minutes with two more Johnson penalties.
Fylde responded to the wake-up call, and when winger Royle powered over from close range on 22 minutes and Nutt's conversion closed the gap to six points.
They hit the front in outstanding style two minutes later, when left winger Oliver Brennand took a difficult catch from Nutt's high kick superbly and exchanged passes with supporting full-back Martin Wallwork to score in the corner. Nutt's conversion from out wide edged Fylde ahead at 17-16.
Huddersfield's Alex Shaw soon became the third winger to score as Fylde ran out of defenders down the left, and the home side were back in front despite Johnson's missed conversion.
Six minutes before the break, scrum-half Craig Aikman sent Nutt clear from a lineout on the 22, and the fly-half raced to the line before his conversion made it 24-21 at the break.
However, the home side regained the lead straight from the restart, when Fylde fumbled and powerful flanker Sam Jacobsz crashed through last line of defence Aikman for a converted try.
The lead changed hands again when back rowers Sam Beaumont and Dan Bowman linked up well before Nutt darted through for his second.
The fly-half missed the conversion but added a 56th-minute penalty to stretch Fylde's lead to four.
But it all went wrong for the visitors from that point as Johnson restored the Huddersfield lead with two penalties before adding a neat drop goal after 75 minutes.
They finished with a flourish too as South African Jacobsz drove over for his second try in the last minute, converting himself to add a little insult to Nelson's injury.
The Fylde coach added: "We were brilliant in flashes and had four or five clear-cut chances to win the game, but we could not take them against a side desperate for a win."
And now he admits his motivational skills will be tested in the final two away matches next month.
"After two massive games against Preston it was a case of after the Lord Mayor's Show, but it's my job to make sure we are still competitive at Harrogate and Nuneaton."
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Weather for Blackpool
Monday 13 February 2012
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