Fylde RFC 18 Leeds Tykes 15: Fylde open up title race with victory over leaders

Tries from Adam Lanigan and Fylde’s top tryscorer, Ben Gregory, gave them a 15-7 half-time lead against an opponent they hadn’t faced at the Woodlands since 1998.

It was a tale of sheer defensive effort in the second half from Fylde, who stayed resolute to the very end in restricting Leeds to just one try in the last 40 minutes.

They started strongly, going over first with Lanigan – filling in at scrum-half following an early injury to Ben Gould – pouncing on a loose ball to dive over with Greg Smith opening his account from the tee to make it 7-0.

That advantage grew just five minutes later when Smith slotted a penalty between the posts, after the visitors were adjudged to have been offside at the ruck.

Leeds responded on 18 minutes as Lucas Walsh drove over from close range and Seremaia Turagabeci’s conversion cut Fylde’s lead to three points.

The visitors upped the pressure on Fylde, especially in the scrum where Tobias Williams, Adam Brown and William Dennis started to turn the screw in winning multiple penalties.

However, a lack of discipline around the park meant Leeds were unable to build up steam and Fylde looked the likelier to score next.

Brilliant back play released Ben Turner down the left on 36 minutes but he was adjudged to have knocked the ball on when he tried to ground it one-handed.

Fylde didn’t have to wait long, however, as Gregory went over a minute later from a lineout maul.

Smith’s brilliant 50-22 pinned Leeds inside their own 22 and, after a series of lineout mauls, Walsh was sinbinned for dragging down a maul.

Fylde made nothing of the next lineout drive, meaning they went in just eight points ahead at the interval.

Leeds came out fired up for the second half, which saw Fylde have to put in a huge defensive shift.

Valu Tane Bentley was sinbinned for dragging down a driving maul, with Fylde then under extreme pressure on their own five-metre line for a seven-minute spell.

They eventually held the ball up in the 64th minute to clear their lines so, having failed to get over the Fylde line, Leeds opted to kick a penalty on 66 minutes.

That was duly slotted over by their star man Turagabeci, reducing the arrears to five points, only for Fylde to cancel it out immediately.

They won a penalty straight from the resulting kick-off, which Smith converted to put them eight points clear once again.

Leeds emptied their bench in search of an answer to Fylde’s resolute defence, pressure which finally told in the 74th minute as centre Ben Dixon went over to set up a grandstand finish.

However, Fylde would hold out in the closing stages to pick up their biggest win of the season in National Two North.

Fylde RFC: Dorrington, Lanigan, Reader, Rawlings, Turner, Smith, Gould, Bowker, Gregory, Altham, Parkinson, Garrod, Parker, Bentley, Harrison. Replacements: Brooks, Raymont, Williamson, Clayton, Carleton.

Leeds Tykes: Venables, Macnab, Dixon, Williams, Evans, Turagabeci, Hardwick, Williams, Brown, Dennis, Brady, Guthrie, Walsh, Teague, Brown. Replacements: Yorke, Hancock, Harrison, Nuu.