Fylde RFC won't worry too much despite losing run

Last Saturday’s 34-19 defeat at unbeaten Rotherham Titans followed losses by a single point to Wharfedale and Lymm, meaning Fylde are in the lower half of the table.

It’s their longest losing run in National Two North since the end of the 2018-19 campaign.

Nevertheless, joint-head coach Briers is not unduly concerned.

He told the Gazette: “It’s been a difficult start but we aren’t stressing too much about it.

“We know we can come good and we have some influential players to come back in.

“We still feel the squad we’ve been putting out has been good enough to win but some returning bodies will give us a boost.”

However, Fylde lost David Fairbrother to injury early in the game at Clifton Lane and the stalwart back-rower is doubtful for Saturday’s home clash with Tynedale.

Briers added: “Dave took a knock to his back, which kept him out recently.

“He felt good going in but he had to come off and it’s something he needs to get right.”

Fylde won the second half at Rotherham, who have started with six straight victories, but a 14-point deficit after the first five minutes left them with too much to do.

Briers said: “We got ourselves into a bad place but the second half was a different story.

“We still felt we could win it at half-time and we were the stronger side second half.

“They got a penalty try right at the end, so the final score doesn’t reflect how close it was.”

There was a try for replacement prop Tye Raymont, one of two Sale Sharks players in action for Fylde on dual-registration deals.

The other, scrum-half Will Wootton, also started on the bench as Fylde kept faith in Ben Gould at number nine.

Briers said: “Like Will, Tye was a player we knew would be coming to us but there was a bit of a delay with him being released.

“At the end of the day, Ben is our player and it isn’t the case that dual-registration players will come in and take over.

“We believe in the Fylde players and it isn’t a clear-cut decision.

“The same happened with Gus Warr a few years ago, when he spent a lot of time on the bench.”

Briers’ full focus is on halting that losing sequence at home to Tynedale, who recorded their first win of the season over bottom club Huddersfield last weekend.

“We’ve seen quite a bit of Tynedale and know where we can attack them,” he said.

“As I always say, we need to focus on our own game and if we get that right, the results should come.”

Saturday’s Woodlands clash will kick-off earlier than normal at 2.15pm ahead of the World Cup quarter-final between Wales and Argentina.