Fylde RFC 52 Lymm 21: Hosts rack up eight tries for pre-season victory

Each club had selected extended squad numbers of up to 30 players and, given the very warm conditions and the need for suitable hydration, the game was played in three sections; two 30-minute periods followed by a final 20 minutes.

Although missing a handful of first choice players, Fylde selected a strong squad including four new recruits who were in the starting line-up.

The Lancashire U20 duo of Will Greenwood and Gabe Maguire were joined by Ben Walton and Leo Gilliland, who was the star of the show with a hat-trick of tries, while six other debutants were among the replacements.

Lymm started the game strongly and penned Fylde inside their 22 for 10 minutes as desperate home defence resulted in a succession of penalties.

The defence held out and, in another attack from the visitors’ backs, an overly ambitious miss pass was read by scrum-half Maguire.

His interception and 70-metre break downfield opened the scoring, Will Hunt converting for a 7-0 lead.

With Fylde warming to their task, some flowing, running rugby followed and, in the 14th minute, Corey Bowker’s 50-metre burst ended with Toby Harrison driving over from close range to extend their lead.

A superb tackle from Tom Forster prevented Lymm from opening their account on 19 minutes before Fylde scored again five minutes later.

Alex Clayton threaded a grubber kick down the touchline with Gilliland winning the race to score in the corner as they led 19-0.

Lymm stepped up their attacking and, once again, pressed deep inside the Fylde half.

Although there was more desperate Fylde defence, Lymm were eventually awarded a penalty try.

Fylde responded by scoring a fourth try in the 40th minute, Gilliland’s break drawing the defence before he released Ben Turner to score.

Seven minutes later, it was Lymm’s turn to read a long pass with a length-of-the-field interception try making the score 24-14.

With the bit between their teeth, Lymm attacked again and scored a well-constructed converted try on 54 minutes to leave the match in the balance at 24-21.

Fylde’s response was conclusive as Ashton Kasam-Sharples crossed before Gilliland scorched through for his second try.

As Hunt had taken a deserved break, that was converted by the replacement fly-half, Dan Slawson.

Forster raced through a tiring Lymm defence a few minutes later but, as he ran into the in-goal area, he delayed touching down and the try was ruled out as he stepped over the line.

Nevertheless, prop Peter Altham collected a loose ball in the Lymm half before putting in another midfield burst and offloading to Gilliland, who went over for his hat-trick try.

There was just enough time for another new young player, the pacy Louis Callow, to race through for his side’s eighth try and complete the scoring.

Saturday’s trip to Blackburn completes Fylde’s pre-season preparations ahead of Hull Ionians’ visit for the opening National Two North match of the season at the Woodlands on September 6.

Fylde RFC: Clayton, Gilliland, Stott, Forster, Turner, Hunt, Maguire; Bowker, Parker, King, Walton, Greenwood, Quinn, Harrison, Fairbrother. Replacements: Sutcliffe, Trippier, Altham, Rudkin, Morgan, Senior, Kasam-Sharples, Gould, Slawson, Macauley, Callow.