8th February 2020

As the score suggests this was a heavy home defeat against a powerful and well-drilled Fylde side, writes Des Hickie, currently second in the league table. In essence, the visitors had a big pack and some strong ball carriers both up front and in midfield. They used them to build pressure and win collisions. The home defence held out for the first hour, but almost inevitably defenders tired and the defence lost some shape. This allowed the visitors to press home their advantage and build a big score in the final quarter.

Fylde were on the scoreboard after only 6 minutes. Chester could not hold onto the ball after a lineout in their 22, and the visitors quickly came away with possession, crossing for a converted try. However, Chester responded well and scored from a driven lineout after 12 minutes to make the score 5-7. Fylde’s second score, eight minutes later was in some ways a template for their later success. From a scrum in midfield about 30 metres out, they used their forwards to batter holes in the Chester defence until it was pulled a bit out of shape. Then they moved the ball quickly to find an overlap wide out to cross for an unconverted try. Chester were managing to build attacks of their own, but were finding it hard to create the pressure necessary to find gaps in Fylde’s defence – despite some lively and robust carries from hooker Scott Robson. They received some rewards with a penalty kicked by fly half Dan Pemberton on the half hour. However, on the point of half time Fylde drove an attacking lineout of their own for an unconverted try, putting them 17-8 in front at the break.

The second period began with Chester seeming to defend comfortably, but five minutes in Fylde ran back a Max Himbury kick and chase into their 22. They moved the ball twenty metres upfield before the rest of the Chester chase arrived. From a ruck just inside their own half, No.8 David Fairbrother made a clean break. As the cover defence closed in, he passed left to wing forward Ben Vernon, who ran in the converted try from thirty metres. This was a very well taken score and put the visitors comfortably 8-22 in front. Immediately from the restart things got much worse. Connor Wilkinson found more space in the Chester chase and made a clean break down the Chester left, scoring a converted try.

At 8-29 Fylde were clearly comfortably in the driving seat, and finding the freedom to run the ball from almost anywhere. Under pressure the Chester attack seemed to be losing a bit of shape, but just before the hour they produced an excellent try. Following an attacking scrum 30 metres out, first Guy Ford and then Kyle Joseph made strong carries into Fylde’s 22. Two quick rucks allowed Tom Foden to find a mismatch and make a clean break. Sean Green took a great inside line to receive Tom’s offload and score a fine try - on his 36th birthday.

At 15-29 it seemed that Chester might just come away with a losing bonus point, but it was not to be. Fylde were clearly dominant and the home side was tiring. First the visitors kicked a penalty, and then ran in three more tries to make the final score 15-51.
Pic Credit Simon Warburton