Fylde RFC boss Chris Briers focused on Tynedale test before showdown with Sedgley Park

Fireworks are guaranteed on November 5, when the only two sides to have won all their National Two North fixtures meet in Manchester, though Fylde boss Chris Briers says their top priority is to record an eighth straight win when Tynedale visit the Woodlands (3pm).

The North East club have lost three of their last four but remain in the top half of the table and Briers, Fylde’s joint-head coach, said: “We have to plan to take on Tynedale, who may have lost to Chester last weekend but we can’t take any team lightly.

“After the start we’ve had, people will want to be at their best against us, so we can’t take our eye off the ball.

“Obviously, as coaches, we plan ahead but the message in training this week has been that this is the game that matters. We have to think only about what we’re facing at the weekend.”

Fylde are three points clear at the summit, having earned a four-try bonus point from all seven matches, most recently their 43-3 home win over a Wharfedale side that started the season strongly.

Briers added: “We were happy with the first half but it wasn’t as complete a performance as it could have been.

“We never panicked or chased things, and we tried to stick to the plan and control the game.

“We were pleased to keep them tryless. Defence is something we’ve worked on.

“We looked back at last year and knew that, if we could tighten up, we could have a good season.

“We haven’t been perfect but we have stuck to our processes and made sure that we have been in a good position to score points late in games if we needed to. We know this squad can score tries.”

Again, enforced changes did not weaken the side against Wharfedale, which has been the story of Fylde’s highly impressive season to date.

Briers explained: “As coaches we felt very positive about the squad at the start of the season. There were no real issues last season but we may not have had the depth we have now.

“We know we can interchange the squad and have 20 players who can all impact the game.

“There is no-one we think we are carrying and everyone is there for a reason.

“A player like Ben Turner, who has done well in the seconds, can come in, play well and score.

“Matt Sturgess was away with work, so Adam Lanigan moved back to scrum-half and also scored.

“Adam played a season in National One at number nine, so we know we can bring players in without having to worry or change the way we play.”