Sheffield Tigers 34 Fylde RFC 21: Dore slammed shut as Fylde lose on their return to action
Fylde’s recent National Two North revival was nipped in the bud as they travelled back empty-handed from Dore Moor on Saturday.
They were slow to get off the bus and conceded two tries in the first three minutes, both in similar fashion.
Tigers regathered straight from the kick-off and created space for an easy score as Jamie Rudd raced in.
Fylde then had their first possession of the game but Sam Stott suffered another injury and, as he was still being helped from the field, Tigers kicked through.
Rudd drew the last man and fed the ball back inside for Jamie Broadley to score and leave Fylde 10-0 down after three minutes.
The Tigers scored again on 19 minutes after kicking a penalty into the Fylde 22 and winning good lineout ball off the top.
A strong carry from Ben Manderfield allowed the Tigers runner to free his arms and pop the ball to Broadley, who crashed over with Rudd’s conversion making it 17-0.
Fylde responded on 22 minutes, profiting from the Tigers’ first error of the day as the ball was spilled near Fylde’s 22 with Dan Slawson snaffling the loose ball and kicking ahead.
Will Hunt gathered the bouncing ball and raced under the sticks, making Slawson’s conversion an easy one and giving Fylde a toehold in the game at 17-7 down.
Good goalline defence thwarted the Tigers as Fylde hung in there and struck from deep on 31 minutes.
Dave Fairbrother won a turnover penalty on his own 22 and tapped the penalty, setting off as Tigers were on the back foot.
Good hands and support play gave Corey Bowker a sniff of a break and he went through two tackles before racing over, Slawson converting again as Fylde trailed 17-14 at half-time.
Fylde looked forward to having the wind at their backs for the second half but the Tigers began a campaign of winning the ball, keeping it, working hard and inching their way upfield.
That frustrated Fylde until the 50th minute, when Hunt picked off a pass on his own 22 and shrugged off the chasing Broadley for a try which Slawson converted to edge them 21-17 ahead.
Hoping to push back their hosts by utilising the strong wind, Fylde found that easier said than done though.
The Tigers worked tirelessly to build phases and earn yards before retaking the lead through Jacob Jamieson’s converted try on 56 minutes.
Trailing 24-21, Fylde still had plenty of time but the hosts managed the game and conditions excellently in addition to their low error and penalty counts.
They struck again on 64 minutes as a back move saw the ball recycled and Broadley having a 30-yard run in to put the Tigers 29-21 in front.
The scoring was completed on 78 minutes as Manderfield went over for the Tigers, who saw out the final few minutes without much fuss.
Sheffield Tigers: Baker, Dodsworth, Broadley, Manderfield, Rudd, Ireland (Fenton 52), Talbot, Gladwin, Redfern-Brown, Santamaria (Goff 71), Harrison, Fitzsimons (Bulgacs 60), Simmons (Wand 3), Crowe (Jamieson 50), Bennett.
Fylde RFC: Slawson (Turner 73), Turner (Lanigan 57), Forster, Stott (Clayton 3), J Dorrington, Hunt, Gould, Fairbrother, B Dorrington (Morgan 60), Morgan (M Walton 50), Garrod, B Walton, Rudkin (Assad 79), Trippier (Williamson 40), Bowker (Trippier 50).