Fylde RFC camp get set for Preston Grasshoppers derby date after victory on the opening day

​Alex Loney is looking forward to the prospect ahead as Fylde RFC get their National Two North home campaign underway on Saturday (3pm).

​As has become the norm in recent years, the second weekend of the season is derby day between Fylde and Preston Grasshoppers.

With Lightfoot Green Lane having staged last year’s opening derby, the Woodlands is the venue this weekend as both sides look to back up victories on day one.

Hoppers edged out Heath, 27-26, on home soil while Fylde returned from Billingham with a 17-7 success.

Their joint-head coach said: “It’s happened for a few years now with the way the league’s set up, the local game is the second one and the last one before Christmas as well.

“It’s going to be a good game. Whether it’s at Fylde or Preston, it’s always a game that’s well attended and it’s got some history behind it.

“It’s a contest in its own right and we will want to get better this week, while I’m sure Preston will have a few things they want to work on.

“It’s going to be a full-blooded game but, from our side, we want to build on our win at Billingham.

“We’ve found it a tough place to go and win before, so – with it being first game up – to win was job done.”

Keeping their hosts to one converted try, which came on the half-hour, was a source of satisfaction for the Woodlands staff.

Nevertheless, areas to address were also identified ahead of their return to training this week.

Loney added: “There are plenty of things to work on, it was a typical start-of-season game.

“We’ve highlighted that already. There were opportunities we felt we had and we want to reinforce the things we did well.

“We weren’t at our best but we did some good stuff and there’s things we want to be better at - but we feel we’ve started well.

“The scoreline suggests it was a tight game, which it was, but we’re really pleased to have kept the opposition down to seven points.”