Fylde RFC 7 Caldy 15: Visitors weather the conditions for Woodlands win

As it transpired, the match had considerable similarities with the clash between the clubs at Paton Field in November – wet conditions and a narrow, though deserved, win for the Wirral side.

Despite games throughout the National Leagues being called off from the promise – or reality – of gales and driving rain, this match started in dry, not too breezy, conditions.

Fylde played with the wind in the first half but struggled to take much advantage of it.

As it turned out, they had the worst of the conditions as they played the second 40 minutes into a stronger wind and, by then, driving rain.

In the sixth minute Caldy worked the ball right and, inevitably, it ended in former Fylde winger Nick Royle skinning a defender on the touchline and racing clear to score in the corner.

Goalkicker Gavin Roberts was unable to make the very difficult conversion from the touchline into the wind.

Fylde had their moments but it was Caldy who dominated the first quarter.

Fylde’s continuity was affected by David Fairbrother missing 10 minutes as he was forced off with a cut head.

Overall, there were some brutal collisions as each pack of forwards tried to establish control.

Although most of the play was in the Fylde half, the home defence was both determined and effective.

Caldy’s backs weren’t able to capitalise on the work of their forwards against fierce Fylde tackling.

When Fylde attacked, small handling errors meant they were unable to unleash the strike power of their backs.

Fly-half Greg Smith kicked well for territory but the Caldy lineout was generally reliable while the scrummages were evenly contested.

Fylde’s cause wasn’t helped by losing flanker Phill Mills to the sinbin after an adjudged high tackle in the 17th minute.

While Caldy pressed deep inside the Fylde half following a series of penalties against the home side, they were unable to break down the Fylde defence and benefit from the extra player.

With Mills back in the action, Fylde exerted their own pressure near the Caldy line.

Caldy scrum-half Cam Davies had a clearance kick charged down, and as the ball bounced back over the line, a visiting defender just beat a Fylde player to the touch down and the danger was cleared.

As the teams trooped off to the changing rooms at half-time, Royle’s try still separated the teams with Caldy 5-0 ahead.

With the prospect of playing into the worsening conditions, Fylde clearly had everything to do to force a shock victory.

The Caldy backrow made life difficult for Fylde halfbacks Adam Lanigan and Smith who were always under pressure, especially as the rain began to fall in sheets.

This made handling tricky for both teams, yet Caldy managed to retain possession with a shade more accuracy than Fylde.

It was just a minute into the second half when Caldy struck a crucial blow.

The ball was recycled 30 metres out from the Fylde line when Adam Aigbokhae burst a couple of tackles to race through for the touchdown to the right of the posts with Roberts’ conversion making it 12-0.

Although the battered Fairbrother left the action, replaced by Matt Garrod, Fylde’s heads didn’t drop and they enjoyed their best period of the game as they pressed deep inside the Caldy half.

One sustained attack saw the ball moved sharply along the backline before Royle tried a desperate interception.

The ball was knocked forward, and although the referee went back for an earlier offence and awarded Fylde a penalty, the winger was very fortunate to avoid a sinbinning.

Almost immediately afterwards in the 54th minute, as Fylde continued their pressure near the line, Caldy centre Mike Cartmill wasn’t as fortunate and was shown a yellow card.

Fylde continued to pound the Caldy line and at last their pressure paid off as lock Jacob Conner, who had a very positive game throughout, forced his way over in a pile of bodies under the posts.

Smith added the straightforward conversion and the home side was right back in the contest as they trailed 12-7.

By conceding further penalties, Fylde lost territory and were forced back into a defensive mode.

In the 65th minute, another Fylde offence was straight in front of their posts and Roberts stroked home the kick to take his side eight points clear.

As hard as Fylde tried to drive forward, with replacement Hallam Chapman and Mills prominent, and to pass their way out and get back into the Caldy half, the conditions and continuing handling issues thwarted them.

As the rain came down, so did Fylde’s chances of challenging Caldy’s lead.

Two of the three top tryscorers in the division were pretty much underemployed, bar Royle’s sixth-minute effort, while Fylde’s Tom Carleton saw very little of the ball.

Nevertheless, Fylde continued to defend and make the most of their hard-earned possession.

The final whistle signalled the end of the game in which the best team, just, won but for Fylde they were even denied a deserved losing bonus point.

Caldy’s procession to the championship continues while Fylde’s battle for a play-off place wasn’t helped by this defeat.

They now have a deserved week’s break and continue their campaign at Loughborough Students on February 29.

Fylde: Wilkinson; Carleton, Briers, Rawlings, Grimes; Smith, Lanigan; Horner (M Ashcroft 64), Gregory (Stephenson 77), Lewis, N Ashcroft, Conner, Vernon (Chapman 41), Mills, Fairbrother (Garrod 46).

Caldy: Hayes; Royle, Roberts, Cartmill, Cornall; Barker, Davies; Whittaker (Parker 58), Hearn, Salisbury (Whittaker 65), Gerrard (Crowe 58), Sanders, Crowe (Collister 48), Aigbokhae (Davidson 72), Dickinson. Non-playing replacement: Ainscough.