Fylde RFC aim to deliver in final home game against Tynedale

Fylde must settle for fifth place in National Two North, having won only one of their last five games.

Although a healthy proportion of the Fylde squad is expected to feature for Lancashire in next month’s County Championship, this weekend’s game brings down the curtain for 2021/22 at the Woodlands.

Joint-head coach Briers told The Gazette: “At this stage of the season it can be difficult not to have one eye on the summer, but it’s our last game in front of a home crowd and we love playing here.

“It should be a good crowd, we’ll have the presentations afterwards and spirits will be high, and I’d like to think we will deliver.”

Briers was unimpressed by last weekend’s performance at Chester, though Fylde did fight back to force a 20-20 draw with only 13 players on the field, but he was more encouraged by the previous 28-26 defeat to champions Hull.

“It was a very below-par performance at Chester,” he said. “We let them get on the front foot without doing a great deal. At least we showed some resilience and came together when our backs were against the wall.

“It was a half-decent performance against Hull. We had opportunities to win the game and with a bit more accuracy we should have won.

“Unfortunately we didn’t get the win to prove you can play an exciting brand of rugby and still win.”

The Tynedale game brings Fylde’s season full circle, having won 48-24 in the North-East on the opening day, and will be the last in the league’s current form.

National Two will add a third regional division for Midlands clubs in 2022/23, with Fylde facing four fewer games in the North competition, as it switches from 16 clubs to 14, but welcoming back their derbies with promoted Preston Grasshoppers.

Briers believes the experiences of this season will stand Fylde in good stead.

He added: “We know we should be around that top group of teams but it’s not just about having quality – it’s about being consistent and turning up to perform at our best whoever is in front of us, not just when we play the best teams.

“That’s something that comes with maturity and these players will develop those personal skills and responsibilities.”