Esher 50 Fylde 12: Match report

Fylde struggled to contain the Esher pack throughout and the second half continued in the same fashion, though two Fylde tries brought a degree of consolation for National One’s bottom club.It took Esher six minutes to open the scoring after forward pressure, Stephen Boatman drifting through the Fylde defence to touch down near the posts before converting the try himself.Three minutes later, Esher centre Joseph Brown kicked behind the Fylde defence and winger Kariym Irving won the race to the touchdown.It was one-way traffic as the Esher pack took control and extended the lead in the 16th minute, when hooker Will Harding found space down the right to score following a lineout. Boatman missed his first conversion kick but his side led 19-0.It wasn’t simply the Esher pack that was dominant as their backs joined in the fun. In the 20th minute, fullback Monks finished off a smart move with a good try.Fylde lock Nick Ashcroft was forced off with an injury to be replaced by Matt Garrod. Prop Mark Irving followed him shortly after as Jake Pope joined the action. Fylde had a period of pressure but were thwarted by a stern Esher defence. Play then switched to the other end as Esher improved their lead in the 32nd minute. An unstoppable driving maul ended with Harding claiming his second try. Boatma’s goal completed the first-half scoring.The pattern continued after the break as Boatman intercepted a Fylde pass to notch his second of the game, his goal making it 38-0. The most dramatic moment arrived in the 52nd minute raced 70 metres through a startled Esher defence for a superb individual try in his first senior match at scrum-half. Fly-half Alex Dolly missed the conversion but at least Fylde were on the scoreboard.Esher responded from another driving maul, with prop Karl Furey the last man up this time to claim the try. Fylde didn’t give up and in the last few minutes launched their own driving play, which ended with Jake Pope forcing his way over for a try. By this time, Dolly had given way to Danny Carlton and he added the conversion.But Esher had the last laugh in front of their home crowd as winger Irving scored his second try and his side’s eighth in added injury time, Boatman taking his personal haul of 20 points.

Fylde: Briers; Grimes Wilkinson, Fowden, Hadfield; Dolly, Carleton; Lewis, Gregory, Irving, Ashcroft, Parkinson, Corrie, Vernon, Fairbrother; replacemennts: Pope, Burtonwood, Garrod, Hopwood or Harrison, Carlton.