Rotherham Titans 34 Fylde 19: A third straight defeat for visitors

A torrid first 32 minutes when Fylde could barely exit their own half saw the unbeaten hosts build up a 21-point lead.

Fylde wrestled their way back into the game with a score just on the half-time hooter, competed manfully in the second half to give themselves a chance of taking at least two bonus points from the game, only to concede a penalty try with the last move of the match, which finally gave the Titans their try bonus point.The hosts were celebrating the centenary of their first ever match played in 1923, and roared on by an always vociferous home support, they shot out of the traps.

Muscular carries battered the line until their veteran warhorse, second row Matt Challinor, barged his way over from close range. Lloyd Hayes converted, and the home team were 7-0 up after just two minutes.Disaster then followed, as Fylde lost their own talismanic veteran, Dave Fairbrother, to injury.

With Harlan Corrie still unavailable, the always tenacious replacement hooker Sam Parker came on at wing forward with Toby Harrison moving to number eight.Fylde fell further behind as winger Tomasi Tanumi crashed over, and with Hayes converting, Fylde were 14-0 down and somewhat shell-shocked.

The pressure told again on 32 minutes when skipper Zak Poole, who had a fine game, drove over as the last in a long line of battering rams.

Hayes made it three from three conversions and Fylde were 21-0 in arrears.

A big hit on the line from Matt Ashcroft, a standout performer, prevented the damage from being worse, and finally Fylde got enough ball to raise the tempo and winger Adam Lanigan took the tacklers over the line with him to touch down on 40 minutes.

Greg Smith couldn’t convert but Fylde could take a crumb of comfort into the break with them and re-group, at 21-5 down.

Rotherham, finding it much harder against the resolute Fylde defence, became more pragmatic in their approach, looking to secure the win first, and the bonus point later if the chance allowed it.

Hayes kicked a penalty on 56 minutes to stretch the lead to 24-5 before Fylde raised their level to fight back again, helped by a yellow card to the home team as Callum Bustin was sent to the naughty step for 10 minutes.

Fylde kicked for touch, replacement lock Matt Garrod secured quality lineout ball, and Fylde maintained possession and created space for Jordan Dorrington to go over wide left and improve the angle. Smith converted, and Fylde were back to 24-12.

Hayes nudged the Titans 27-12 ahead with another penalty kick on 70 minutes but still Fylde would not lie down and Sharks academy teammate Tye Raymon touched down for a debut try. Smith converted and with five minutes left, Fylde were just eight points adrift at 27-19.But Titans forced a penalty tryand there was no time to restart. Rotherham could breathe a sigh of relief at securing their try bonus point right at the death and ran out 34-19 winners.

Rotherham: Townend, Render, Hayes, Dunne (Bustin), Tanumi, Milner, Bruzulier, Capps (Kivalu), Bergmanas (Cole), Denman (Ward), Challinor, Smith (Okafor), Kay, Cowen, Poole (captain)

Fylde: S. Carleton, Turner, J. Dorrington, T. Carleton, Lanigan, Smith, Gould (Wooton), Bowker (Brooks), Gregory (captain), Altham (Raymont), Hall-Lyon, Ashcroft, Bentley (Garrod), Harrison, Fairbrother (Parker)