Darlington Mowden Park 38 Fylde RFC 52: Fourteen tries in an action-packed victory
A resurgent Fylde backed up their return to winning ways with five points from a high-scoring and highly entertaining National Two North game.
Missing at least 17 players on Saturday, Fylde defended for the first six minutes before Matt Garrod pinched a DMP lineout and a strong carry by Dave Fairbrother earned a penalty.
Will Hunt took the quick tap and created disarray in the home defence before drawing the last man and putting Sam Parker clear for the first try.
That was converted by Hunt before another try followed two minutes later as Ben Gould took the tap and go penalty.
Hunt then used his favourite chip and regather before putting Ben Walton clear for a 20-yard gallop to the line, giving Fylde a 12-0 lead after eight minutes.
DMP recovered from this flurry of points to gain some sustained possession, stretching Fylde enough to put Jacob Oliver in at the corner after 18 minutes.
Back came Fylde two minutes later, Ashton Kassam-Sharples surging into the DMP 22 before Ben Turner weaved through several attempted tackles for a try converted by Hunt.
Trailing 19-5, DMP battled back by fielding a loose kick out from defence and returning it with interest, Sam Clarke lurking to take the last pass and score under the sticks.
Flynn Ward converted to make it 19-12 before DMP profited from an errant crossfield kick with Reuben Dyer scoring in the left corner and bringing them within two points at half-time.
Fylde’s slow restart struck again as they failed to deal with a box kick before DMP regained possession and moved the ball left for Liam Checksfield to score a converted try in the corner.
That gave DMP the lead for the first time at 24-19, only for Fylde to retake the lead as Sam Stott surged through the midfield and gave the scoring pass to Kassam-Sharples with Hunt converting.
A Fylde penalty on 50 minutes was kicked to touch before the catch and drive ended with Rob Williamson the last man up as they moved 31-24 ahead.
Four minutes later, DMP gave away a scrum near their 22, from which Turner was tackled just short before Greg Morgan followed up, secured the ball and crashed over.
Hunt nailed a fine conversion from wide out and the score was suddenly 38-24, though Fylde did not let up.
The restart saw them break from deep and though Walton spilled the ball near the line, Fylde made a mess of the DMP scrum to win the ball against the head with Fairbrother scoring a converted try.
Fylde scored again on 72 minutes as Stott and Kassam-Sharples took play deep into DMP territory before Gould scored their final try, Hunt with a sixth conversion.
DMP were keen to end on a high as Fylde’s standards dipped slightly in the last eight minutes.
Dylan Thompson forced his way over before Checksfield went in for his second try, Ward converting both as Fylde ran out winners.
Darlington Mowden Park: Dyer, Callaghan, Checksfield, Oliver, Varo, Ward, Douglas (Swan 27), Butterill, Davison (Vaioleti 73), Uzokwe, Coulston (Yabaki 66), Thompson, Clark, Brown, Vaioleti (Alder 52).
Fylde RFC: Turner, Kassam-Sharples, Slawson, Stott, Lanigan, Hunt (Gaughan 79), Gould, Fairbrother, Parker (Macaulay 41), Morgan, Garrod (Walton 64), Walton (Senior 62), Trippier (Assad 49), Sutcliffe (Williamson 36), Bowker.