Fylde 22 Hull Ionians 15: Keeping up the pressure on league leaders

Fylde are known for making fast starts at home but, on this occasion, it was the visitors who led early.

Kicking off into the wind, they scored with only two minutes gone as Josh Britton’s break up the right led to a try in the corner for Cameron Burnhill.

Fylde hit back straight away with a Greg Smith penalty to leave them 5-3 behind before Adam Lewis, who replaced Matt Ashcroft just before the half-hour, played a key role in their first try.

Lewis’ strong drive put Fylde on the front foot and, from there, they moved the ball out before Tom Grimes and Jordan Dorrington linked for Cole Potts to cross on his home debut.

Smith converted from in front of the posts to give Fylde a 10-5 lead but Ionians levelled with half-time approaching.

Fylde lost the ball at the lineout before a delicate chip kick over the top was eventually touched down by Lewis Minikin to make it 10-10 at the break.

The away team quickly picked up where they had left off in the second half, a slick passing move ending in a try for James Thompson.

However, they lost Burnhill to the sinbin for a deliberate knockdown and Fylde capitalised as Potts levelled it at 15-15 with his second try.

Fylde’s Scott Rawlings was also sinbinned but neither team could find a score to put themselves ahead.

Ionians were camped on the Fylde line for a five-minute spell without making their possession count but, just as the match looked like finishing in a draw, Fylde managed to nick it.

Creeping closer to the line, phase by phase, they threw the ball to Smith who sent Rawlings through a gap before finding the supporting Connor Wilkinson.

He finished off the move with Smith’s conversion securing victory for Fylde, who visit Blaydon next weekend.

Fylde: Dorrington, Lanigan, Stott, Wilkinson, Grimes, Smith, Potts, Bowker, Gregory, Ashcroft, Parkinson, Corrie, Harrison, Higginson, Fairbrother. Replacements: Barrow, Lewis, Partington, Turner, Rawlings.

Hull Ionians: Townend, Burnhill, Minikin, Britton, J Thompson, Smith, Pocklington, Morton, Hudson, Bell, Makin, Campbell, Powell, Sanderson, Mewburn. Replacements: Laverick, Westwood, Heelas, D Thompson, Wilson.