Fylde RFC look to back up last weekend's win

Last weekend’s 41-18 win over an in-form Otley was a welcome rise in standards for a Fylde team which had lost six of their previous seven in National Two North.

Joint-head coach Alex Loney was certainly impressed and told The Gazette: “Otley are a very good side, well established in our league, with a good pack, really fast backs and a good way of playing.

“All of which makes Saturday’s scoreline really pleasing, with so many points scored and keeping their score down.”

Two names on the teamsheet for the first time this season were especially welcome: specialist centres Sam Stott and Scott Rawlings, who started and came off the bench respectively.

Loney added: “I think the big issue has been around chopping and changing in the centre positions, and playing people who haven’t played a lot of rugby there.

“Having Sam and Scott back and hopefully available for the rest of the season will make us much stronger and hopefully can help us to achieve positive results.”

Positive results on the road are the immediate priority after four successive away defeats and Fylde will head to second-bottom Ionians for a 2pm kick-off with confidence.

The Humbersiders have lost their last three – two very narrowly – and Loney said: “Ionians are another top side and we’ve had many years of playing them. It will be another tough game.

“You watch them on video and they have a strong pack, who can put pressure on you, with backs who can punish you.

“So we will have to be on the money and up for the challenge mentally, probably more so than playing them at home.

“Hopefully we’ll go there with our heads in a good space and get the performance right.”

There was a first start last weekend for Tom Burrow, the dual-registered Sale Sharks lock, who was named man of the match and gave Loney more grounds for optimism.

“Tom is a top young player who had been on the bench and got his first start,” he said.

“He did really well. He gets around the field and is a big lineout threat.”

Last weekend’s win left Fylde sixth in the table and only three points behind third-placed Wharfedale, albeit from a game more.

However, the title race already looks to be one of the two-horse variety with unbeaten pacesetters Leeds Tykes and Rotherham Titans well clear.

Loney said: “Those two have pulled away but our objective is to get back-to-back results and hopefully climb the table.

“If we can get into third place, we can try to build on that for the rest of the season.

“It is very tight in the middle group and, if you are not on it, you can get turned over.

“For us, it is about trying to get the performance right week to week.”