Blackheath 47 Fylde 14.

If Blackheath had been unsettled by the departure of their two lead coaches prior to Christmas, they showed scant evidence of it in this one-sided contest as they moved back up to third in National League One.

The Club dominated every facet of the game, especially in the opening period where they scored five of their seven tries, effectively wrapping up the match by the interval and consigning the Lancastrians to an eighth consecutive defeat away from their Woodlands home.

With intent evident from the outset, a potential three points were spurned in favour of territory as Simon Whatling put the hosts five metres from the Fylde goal-line, and although the initial drive was held up, an ensuing scrum saw Kieron Scutt crash over on the short-side.

A loose Fylde pass allowed Markus Burcham to kick on, and as possession was controlled, the skipper himself weaved a track through a disorganised defence for a second try in only the eleventh minute.

Gregor Gillanders’ majestic aerial display, not only at the line-out, but also at the re-starts, ensured Blackheath held the ascendancy in both territory and possession, and as Fylde lost tight-head Simon Griffiths for ten minutes at the end of the opening quarter for side-entry, Mike Perks drove on before Sam Eydmann reached out for a third try. And even when restored to 15-men, the Club pack, with Terry Read in magnificent form, continued to pound the Fylde eight, and with a scrum infringement giving the hosts another opportunity, Perks drove over for the bonus point try.

At last the visitors, renowned for their ability to attack from anywhere and rattle up quick points, found some ball in Club territory as the period drew to a close, but with nothing falling right for them, Leo Fielding intercepted, the wing sprinting 70 metres for a fifth try, adding a fifth conversion, and giving his side an unassailable 35-0 lead at the break.

Fylde did get it right after the re-start, as a cross-field kick fell into the waiting arms of wing Anthony Bingham to cross and get his side off the mark, and in the 66th minute open-side David Fairbrother added a second score as the visitors fared better in the second period. Nevertheless, in between times Blackheath’s dominance at the scrum gave them a penalty try, and although the light rain now falling contributed to a greasy ball and numerous handling errors as time progressed, the Club claimed the last word as Jake Lloyd slid over for the final score.

Next Saturday Blackheath travel to the Butts Park Arena to take on sixth placed Coventry, before returning to Well Hall for the visit of Hull Ionians on Saturday 21st January. Both matches kick-off at 3.00 pm.

Blackheath.

Tries: Scutt, Burcham, Perks, Eydmann, Fielding, Penalty try, Lloyd.

Conv: Fielding 6.

Fylde.

Tries: Bingham, Fairbrother.

Conv: Smith 2.