Training ground work pays off for Fylde RFC
Hard work on defence during the week paid off for Fylde RFC as they restricted Darlington Mowden Park to their lowest points total of the season on Saturday.
It wasn’t enough for a Fylde victory but the 17-17 scoreline – their second home draw of the season – was further proof for boss Chris Briers that they can compete with the National Two North’s top sides.
It was a surprisingly low-scoring affair between free-scoring clubs: second-placed DMP had averaged 43 points in their first nine games, topping 50 in two of the previous three.
Fylde were fresh from winning a 43-39 try-fest at Wharfedale and joint-head coach Briers said that had prompted the midweek defensive work.
He told The Gazette: “We did work hard on defence after Wharfedale because we knew that, if that side of our game didn’t hold up strongly against a top team, we could be on the wrong side of it. So we worked on that and that work showed in the game.”
Briers isn’t convinced by suggestions it was the season’s best performance but the defensive display certainly pleased him.
“We did put some good things together and we know we could have grasped a win,” he added.
“There were a couple of things we could have done better in terms of taking opportunities but we defended very well.
“Conditions weren’t too bad. It was slippy underfoot but that didn’t prevent attacking rugby.
“They did have most of the pressure in the later stages and won a few penalties but our defence was good. We stopped their better opportunities and drove them back.”
It wasn’t a day for goalkicking, both sides landing only one of three conversions, and DMP missed a crucial last-minute penalty.
“There was enough of a breeze to make the kicks harder, though we hit the post with one,” said Briers.
“The penalty at the end was difficult and I wasn’t surprised they didn’t make it.”
Fylde have now faced all four teams above them, their only win coming against the one they played away, Macclesfield.
Unusually Fylde have won only two out of six at home, while they head to Otley on Saturday (2pm) seeking a fifth successive victory on their travels.
Briers said: “It is strange because previously we’ve been a team with a fantastic home record, but we shouldn’t really pay attention to home and away form. If we have the right mindset, we know we can compete on any field.
“We’ve commented on how tight this league is. It is unusual for us to have two draws in the first half of a season, let alone two at home, but we have shown that we can compete with the teams above us.
“The Sheffield game may look a bit one-sided (a 40-18 loss), but we competed for large parts of it and we’ve come away thinking we can challenge all the top teams.
“Otley is always a difficult place to go and the way the weather has been recently, it may not be the greatest surface, but we have to be ready to adapt.”