Coach Alex Loney 'gutted' by Lancashire loss but proud of Fylde players

Lancashire lost 33-31 to Yorkshire in the Bill Beaumont County Championship – beaten by a last-gasp penalty in Leeds – meaning the record 25-time winners will not be contesting the showpiece final .

Eight Fylde players featured in the match, three of them scoring tries, and Red Rose forwards coach Alex Loney (also Fylde's joint-head coach) told The Gazette: “We're pretty gutted to lose.

"We thought we did enough to win and when you go into the final moments ahead you'd like to think you will see it out.

“It was a scrum penalty which decided it and from our point of view our scrum was dominant. The referee has deemed it illegal but we shouldn’t have allowed the match to come down to that.

“It was a proper game between longstanding rivals and it was good to have the championship back after three years.

"The Fylde players were buzzing and did well. Getting that recognition was a good way for them to end a decent season.”

Loney hopes the competition is back to stay but he would prefer a different format next year.

Yorkshire won both their games but look set to miss out on Twickenham too. The likely North group winners are Cheshire, who have avoided playing either of the Roses rivals.

Loney added: “The set-up is a bit ridiculous and it doesn't seem a fair sporting competition when your destiny is not in your own hands.”