See-saw encounter ends with victory for Fylde

They enjoyed a perfect start at the Woodlands on Saturday, leading inside the opening 10 minutes.

Having been awarded a scrum in the opposition 22, the resulting phases saw the ball shipped into the right-hand channel.

Freddie Reader’s offload freed Ben Turner to dive in at the corner for the opening score, converted by Patrick Bishop.

A second try came shortly afterwards with Reader again sending Turner over to build an early 12-0 lead.

The momentum started to shift in the next 15 minutes – a sign of what was to come later – but Fylde went further ahead with the half-hour approaching.

Ollie Tripper touched down this time and Bishop’s simple conversion made it 19-0.

However, too many mistakes and poor decisions then allowed Ionians to begin controlling the match.

Lewis Minikin’s penalty five minutes before half-time was the precursor to the visitors’ first try of the game as the break loomed.

A lineout maul ended with Ben Stephenson touching down, reducing Fylde’s lead to 11 points at 19-8.

Ionians’ momentum continued in the second half as they scored again on 45 minutes, Cam Burnhill touching down in the corner.

With the pressure beginning to mount, it seemed inevitable Fylde would surrender their lead – and that happened on 56 minutes.

Another dominant scrum from the visitors ended with Archie Upton scoring under the posts, and the conversion gave Ionians 20 points in as many minutes for a one-point lead at 20-19.

Fylde needed to wake up, having failed to set foot in the opposition’s 22 during the second half.

That changed just before the hour when, having won a penalty, stand-in skipper Dave Fairbrother elected to tap and go.

The risk paid off with Cam Smith scoring an unconverted try in the corner but, with the score 24-20 in Fylde’s favour, the game was still in the balance.

It then began to look as if Fylde had sorted out their defence, as some superb lineout work gave them a platform to attack.

The end result was Tom Davis securing the ball before neatly diving over the line on 72 minutes for Fylde’s fifth try of the afternoon.

Bishop’s subsequent conversion gave them an 11-point advantage and some breathing space.

Ionians had been kept out for more than 20 minutes, meaning a win was off the table though a losing bonus point was up for grabs.

They applied late pressure, spearheaded by Minikin who broke the defensive line in the last minute.

That saw him sneak in for a try from the final play of the game, giving Ionians a bonus point for their efforts.

The try was duly converted, giving a narrow look to the scoreline as Fylde took victory from a see-saw encounter.

Fylde RFC: Turner, Reader, Clayton, Stott, C Smith, Bishop, Gould, Bowker, Davis, Altham, Morgan, Garrod, Walton, Ashcroft, Fairbrother. Replacements: Rudkin, Quinn, Forster, Atherton, Trippier.

Hull Ionians: Burnhill, Yates, Minikin, Britton, Winch, B Smith, Pocklington, Morton, Stephenson, Westwood, Makin, C Sanderson, Powell, J Sanderson, Hudson. Replacements: Upton, Edwards, Mel, Gillingwater, Kirk.