Match report: Fylde RFC 9 Caldy 34

Flanker Ben Vernon was forced to play on the wing

ssFylde RFC 9 Caldy 34

Caldy completed a deserved double over a disappointing Fylde side to secure north-west bragging rights in National One.

The home side were competitive in the first half and led for a short period going into stoppage time, when player ofthe match Rhys Hayes' try restored a lead the visitors never lost.

The Wirral side began in dominant fashion and a drive towards the Fylde line ended in a fifth-minute try by prop Derek Salisbury, converted by full-back Gavin Roberts.

Former Woodlands flyer Nick Royle broke down the touchline on his old stomping ground and kicked ahead, but fortunately for Fylde the ball skidded dead.

Fylde gradually got into the game, enjoying more possession and territory, and fly-half Alex Dolly got them on the scoreboard with an excellent long-range penalty after 16 minutes.

It was nip and tuck for the next 20 minutes, although Caldy looked the more dangerous side.

Fylde suffered a major setback on the half-hour when winger Tom Grimes was forced off with a a horrible finger injury, forcing a reshuffle which saw Greg Smith replace him, Dolly switch to full-back and Tom Carleton to the left wing.

Despite the disruption Dolly kicked further penalties in the 35th and 39th minutes to move Fylde 9-7 ahed.

However, Fylde are never more vulnerable than just before half-time and fly-half Hayes stepped past several defenders on a 20-metre burst to the line. Roberts' goal gave Caldy a 14-9 half-time lead.

Fylde's Henry Hadfield was injured in the build-up to the try and replaced by flanker Ben Vernon on the wing for the second half as Fylde had used their back replacement.

The hosts couldn't capitalise on Caldy's indiscipline, despite flanker Harrison Crowe being sinbinned, as three penalty attempts were missed in four minutes.

And when Fylde replacement prop Jake Pope, who had been on the field only six minutes, was shown a straight red card for foul play on 56 minutes, Roberts kicked the penalty and Caldy never looked back.

Another Roberts penalty made it 20-9 and Fylde were reduced to 13 in the 67th minute, when centre Luke Fawden was sinbinned for a high tackle.

Caldy stretched their lead with a penalty try following a collapsed maul and the home side were denied a try of their own when Harlan Corrie stretched out to touch down.

The referee ruled that the flanker had lost control of the ball but only after Dolly had landed the conversion.

It made little difference to the outcome, however, as lively scrum-half Ben Jones jinked through a tired Fylde defence from 30 metres out for a last-minute try, improved by Roberts.

Fylde: Carleton, Hadfield (Vernon 40), Wilkinson, Fowden, Grimes (Smith 28), Dolly, Nicholls, Richardson (Pope 50), Gregory (Burtonwood 40) Lewis, Garrod, Parkinson (Corrie 69), Corrie (Langdon 50), Hopwood (Richardson 69), Fairbrother.