A welcome free weekend for Fylde RFC squad

So says team boss Chris Briers after seeing Fylde bounce back from successive National Two North defeats with victory at bottom club Huddersfield last Saturday, though it was a close-run thing.

The hosts looked like adding to this season’s two wins as they led by 15 points with 15 minutes remaining, only for Fylde to prevail 34-32.

Fylde didn’t make their task any easier by using only one of their replacements, with joint-head coach Briers himself taking a place on an otherwise youthful bench.

“I was ready if required but it was only ever going to be if I was really needed,” he told The Gazette.

“It was just one of those weekends when everything seemed to fall against us with injuries and unavailability. It was a bit of a perfect storm.”

The two-week break before third-placed Sheffield’s visit to the Woodlands on March 9 is therefore gratefully accepted, and not just to give injured players some recovery time.

“It has been a tough couple of months,” said Briers.

“Most of the injuries are short-term and the break will help with getting them back, but we have had an inconsistent few weeks and taking people away from rugby will help.”

Saturday’s late fightback didn’t surprise the coach, who added: “We had some different combinations out there and it did take us a while to get going.

“While we couldn’t find any rhythm, they played direct rugby on a heavy pitch and gained in confidence.

“We always knew that, if we turned it on at any point, it was a game we could win.”

Defences haven’t been on top in the club’s February fixtures, with 192 points scored across the three games and Fylde conceding 109 of them.

Briers doesn’t believe that’s down to any lack of intensity, with fifth-placed Fylde not part of the promotion equation.

He explained: “There has been disruption with some of our defensive leaders, like Toby Harrison, being out but there has been no lack of desire. It’s more a case of getting things wrong in defence.”

For the second successive weekend, Fylde were reduced to 13 men for a spell, though this time the yellow cards levelled out as both sides were shown three.

Fylde had no complaints and Briers said: “Some of the yellow were debatable but, if there’s a debate to be had, I suppose there’s a case for the card.

“Some of the high tackles would not have been given in previous seasons but, if you do something on the field which starts a conversation, then there’s a chance you’ll be penalised – so don’t do it.”

Three matches are due to be played in N2N this Saturday, enabling the six clubs with a game in hand to catch up.