The scoreline proved academic as Darlington Mowden Park's victory at Morley assured them of second place and a visit to Three South runners-up Cinderford for a promotion play-off.
On the day, they were beaten by the better side. Tynedale are worthy and overwhelming champions of National Three (North) and demonstrated the reasons why they've won 24 out of 26 games since September. Following their close victory at Morley, Darlington Mowden Park finish in clear second place and qualified for the play-off game at Cinderford next Saturday.
Fylde's cause took a hard knock before they left Lancashire for the long journey to Corbridge. Fulcrum of the backline and tallismanic fly-half Steve Nutt was struck down by a virus overnight and dropped out.
Promising centre Alex Hurst, followed him out of the line-up when his troublesome calf forced him to withdraw after a late fitness test at Tynedale Park. John Armstrong came in at fullback and David Wiseman at centre, with Neil Hunter moving to fly-half.
And things were about to get worse once the game started. Tynedale's Phil Belgian kicked off, the ball bounced loose and a Fylde hand knocked it on. From the resultant scrum, Belgian broke a weak attempted Fylde tackle 20 metres out and passed to winger Ben Duncan who cruised in for a sucker try. Belgian converted, so Within a minute Tynedale were 7-0 ahead.
From the restart on 3 minutes, Tynedale drove back into Fylde's half and one of the visitors' forwards infringed. Fylde's nemesis, the veteran yet evergreen Belgian, kicked the penalty and his side had a 10-0 lead.
Fylde battled back and tried to establish a degree of parity. Their scrummage was causing the home side discomfort and on one occasion they took a strike against the head. But even this advantage was undermined somewhat when veteran prop Matt Filipo limped off with a knee injury on 14 minutes to be replaced by Sam Simpson.
But the crucial moment of the game was in unbelievably the 11th minute of injury time at the end of the half.. Tynedale's forwards secured turnover ball 40 metres out and quickly switched the direction of play down the blindside. They totally caught out the Fylde defence and flanker Matthew Fieldhouse ran in a try into their right corner almost unopposed. Belgian's attempted conversion failed but Tyne took a decisive 15-0 lead into the break.
News from Morley that Fylde's rivals for the promotion play-off place, Darlington Mowden Park, were leading the home side 16-12 couldn't have boosted morale.
But Fylde's collective heads didn't drop as they took the game by the scruff of the neck at the beginning of the second half. Apart from rare sorties into the Fylde half, Tynedale were penned in their own half by the hard working visitors. But Fylde found it very difficult to penetrate a skilful and disciplined Tynedale defence. Scrum-half Craig Aikman was continually dangerous with his sniping runs and on one occasion broke clear with flyer Nick Royle clear outside him. But Aikman's pass was taken by the wind and missed Royle. And a long range penalty by fullback John Armstrong drifted just past the posts.
Delightful
However, on 62 minutes Fylde made the breakthrough they so badly needed when they launched yet another attack, this time down their left. Full-back John Armstrong came into the line and did a delightful 'show and go' to bemuse the Tynedale defender. As he drifted outside winger Oliver Brennand, he put in a clever grubber kick behind the Tynedale defence and Brennand did the rest as he outpaced everyone to get the vital touchdown – his 26th in league and cup games this season. Armstrong converted and Fylde were back in the contest trailing 15-7.
They applied the coup de gras on 67 minutes when Phil Belgian again created space by breaking through another weak midfield Fylde tackle and he put winger Robert White in for a try under the posts. Belgian's conversion put his side decisively in front at 22-7. Try as they might Fylde were unable to add to their points total by the final whistle.