Fylde 53 - Westoe 24
Apr
WESTOE got a whacking from opponents who played like the champions they surely will now become.
There were no excuses afterwards and why should there have been? On this form high-flying Fylde would have soundly beaten every other team in National 2 North.
Though mathematically they can still be toppled from their perch, nobody realistically expects them to be.
And if their backs can replicate anything approaching such a mercurial display in their four remaining fixtures they will surely extend their all-win sequence to 18 games to win automatic promotion in style.
Meanwhile the nerve-jangling nip-and-tuck contest for the runners-up spot - and with a play-off chance of joining Fylde - goes on with Leicester Lions stealing Westoe’s second top place with a home win against Preston Grasshoppers while the third main contender, Loughborough Students, lost 13-10 at Huddersfield.
Afterwards, director of rugby And Howells said ruefully: “At the end of the day we were beaten by a better side and we will just have to take it on the chin.
“Fylde ran the ball from their own 22 and their off-loading was so good that we struggled to compete.”
It was certainly champagne stuff, with full back Jason Robinson showing flashes of the skills that made him an England icon, and, in fact, one of his side’s eight tries was launched from behind their own posts.
The Dunes Adventure Island-sponsored Shieldsmen had good moments enough and flanker Joe Maw ended a sustained attack just before the final whistle by diving over to earn them the four-try bonus.
Indeed, they had the better of early exchanges and drew first blood in the sixth minute when centre James Clark scythed his way through the defence to score his 17th try of the season, fly half Mark Bedworth converting.
Spirited tackling kept the increasingly menacing home team backs at bay during the first quarter but then a clever dummy and dash by scrum half Craig Aikman set up a try for centre Richard Kenyon.
Fly half Steve Collins kicked the first of his five conversions and the breach was in the damn, left winger Oliver Brennand and number 8 Josh Beaumont going over soon after.
The Westoe pack had already shown their muscle and shortly before half time hooker Richie Thirkell was powered over by a lineout drive from mid-way in the Fylde 22.
But any hopes that the tables had tilted were dashed when Collins kicked a penalty soon after the resumption and inside centre Mike Waywell then ran in a hat-trick of tries in quick succession.
Opposite number David Haswell burst over from a five metre scrum with Bedworth making it seven points to reduce arrears.
But tries by flanker Steve McGinnis and winger Callum McShane added to Westoe’s misery with Maw‘s 78th minute effort bringing some consolation..
Said Howells: “That bonus point and Loughborough’s defeat were positives. Now we must move on beginning with Luctonians’ visit next week.”
*The Colts travel to Consett on Wednesday for the semi-final of the Durham Under-18 Cup (leaving the clubhouse at 4.30pm for a 6.30pm kick-off),the winners meeting Billingham in the final on April 17. The youngsters are sponsored by Chris Marlow, George Thompson, Malcolm Parker and Graham Calder.
　
