Fylde 42 Blaydon 7: Five wins from five to start the season

Fylde went into the game with four changes to the starting line-up which defeated Hull Ionians seven days earlier.

Scott Rawlings, Tom Carleton, Corey Bowker and Matt Garrod all returned against a Blaydon team which had lost its opening four games.

They had an early opportunity when Harlan Corrie knocked on, giving Blaydon an early chance to put some pressure on the Fylde line.

The visitors were unable to capitalise and Fylde soon regained possession, marching up the other end of the pitch.

The ball was moved out wide in slick fashion, ending with Jordan Dorrington diving over in the corner to score inside three minutes.

It didn’t take long for Fylde to build on it as they again moved the ball quickly, Matt Sturgess finding the supporting Matt Ashcroft who touched down to make it 10-0.

Blaydon were powerless to prevent Fylde from scoring again as Adam Lanigan broke from deep and set up the returning Carleton, who raced down the wing to score.

Greg Smith’s conversion meant the league leaders were 17-0 up after only 13 minutes.

Tristan Woodman extended that lead further as he went over from close range, only for Blaydon to respond.

The Fylde defence momentarily switched off and allowed John Clarkson to stroll under the posts and convert his own try to make it 22-7.

There was to be no further scoring for the remainder of the half but Fylde quickly stamped their authority on the game at the start of the second period.

Woodman backed up another break to go over for his second of the game, capping an excellent afternoon for the teenager.

Blaydon did their best to weather the storm as the rain swept in and started lashing it down.

They managed to prevent Fylde from scoring again until the 57th minute.

Tom Grimes, coming off the bench to make his 100th appearance for the club, went over in the corner and extended Fylde’s lead to 32 -7.

Grimes was in a tryscoring mood and, when Carleton made a break out wide, he backed up to score in the same corner as his first try.

The home side was then reduced to 14 men when Dorrington was sinbinned for obstruction.

Nevertheless, it didn’t stop them from scoring again as Sturgess made a break up the left and finished it off to complete the scoring.

That made it five bonus point wins for Fylde to open the season before they have the weekend off.

Next up is a trip to third-placed Rotherham in a fortnight’s time before consecutive home matches against Wharfedale and Tynedale to finish the month.

Fylde: Carleton, Lanigan, Wilkinson, Rawlings, Dorrington, Smith, Sturgess, Bowker, Gregory, Ashcroft, Parkinson, Garrod, Corrie, Woodman, Fairbrother. Replacements: Altham, Lewis, O’Ryan, Stott, Grimes.

Blaydon: Simpson, Ashman, Cooney, Greenlaw, Greenwood, Marshall, Clarkson, Rewcastle, Appleby, Siddle, Turnbull, Wright, Dube, Edington, Varley. Replacements: Winter, Duffy, O’Neill, Douglas, Dowell.