Fylde 31 v Blackheath 16

 

It’s not unusual for a side to return from The Woodlands Memorial having conceded four (or more) tries, such are Fylde’s often sublime handling skills.

 

Nevertheless, Blackheath left this fine venue on a sunny autumnal afternoon in the knowledge that all the Lancastrians’ scores came from the Club’s errors and indiscipline, while the visitors only managed to capitalise on one of many mistakes from their hosts.  Indeed, in this opening match of the SSE National League One campaign, Blackheath have not had a better opportunity to record a first victory in recent visits to the north-west.

 

The truth is that they let the initiative slip early, and although briefly took the lead with their only try of the match after the break, never gained enough momentum to strike a decisive blow, coughing up possession too easily when going to ground.

 

Within eight minutes of the opening, both sides were temporarily reduced to fourteen men (Dave Allen for retaliation for stamping, and Fylde number-eight David Fairbrother, also somewhat harshly, adjudged guilty of a high tackle) but it was Fylde who made use of the extra space, catching Blackheath napping with a quickly taken tap-penalty in front of the uprights to send lock Gareth Rawlings across.

 

A free-kick given away at the line-out had given Fylde their attacking platform, and in the 25th minute the visitors were back on the defensive as the concession of two soft penalties gave the hosts another set-piece from which hooker Tom Burtonwood crossed on the blind-side for try number two.

 

Tom Carlisle, one of six Blackheath men making his debut, took advantage of good kicking conditions to answer each try with a successful penalty, and as the Club pack drove 20-metres to the opposition goal-line, forcing the sin-binning of Fylde loose-head Dan Birchall in the process, the fly-half added a third strike (though Blackheath would have preferred the penalty try that might have been on offer!) to leave the score 14-9 at the interval.

 

However, it was after the break when Blackheath had the chance to take control. 

 

A loose Fylde pass, almost straight from the re-start, handed possession away and Ollie Evans raced the 50-metres from half-way to score on debut, and although a penalty from the immaculate boot of Chris Johnson regained a narrow lead for the hosts, Blackheath had two further chances from wayward Fylde passes only to be unluckily hauled back for earlier infringement.

 

Twice also Allen turned over possession on the floor in Fylde territory, but on the second occasion ball was spilt for former Namibian international scrum-half Ryan De La Harpe to break away and, with support quickly arriving, set up Johnson for an easy run-in on 59 minutes.

 

James Cleverly arrived off the bench to make some charging runs for the visitors, including one that set off a lovely three-quarter move, but the Fylde cover was good enough, and as the Lancastrian pack scored a strike against the head and drove forward towards the goal-line, left-wing Oli Brennand crossed in the corner to put the game firmly beyond reach.

 

Next Saturday, Blackheath make the much shorter journey to Roehampton to take on Rosslyn Park.  Kick-off at Priory Lane is 3.00 pm.

 

Fylde  

 

Tries:  Rawlings (Gareth), Butonwood, Johnson, Brennand

Conv:  Johnson 4

Pens:    Johnson

 

Blackheath    

 

Tries:  Evans

Conv:  Carlisle

Pens:    Carlisle 3