TYNEDALE 34
FYLDE 26
A SUPERB hat-trick from flying winger Will Roberts helped lift Tynedale into second place in National League Division Two North on Saturday,
With the clash between runaway leaders Sheffield and second placed Macclesfield rained off, Tynedale knew a maximum points win would lift them into the lone end-of-season promotion play-off spot.
At half time, it looked like a breeze, as Tynedale led 24-0, with the four try bonus point already in the bag
But Fylde came out for the second half with all guns blazing to run in four tries of their own to have the home fans biting their nails.
However, the blue and whites steadied the ship, to make the visit of Macclesfield on March 14, a really mouthwatering prospect.
Seamus Hutton bagged a brace from the left wing, and co-skipper Oscar Caudle broke the wingers’ try fest with the opening try.
It was not a great day for kickers though, for only six of the 10 tries scored were converted
Tynedale’s strength in depth is phenomenal, and they could afford to leave outstanding players like Cam Grant, Joe Hanning and Ethan Hall-Lyon on the bench for the first period, while fielding an excellent pair of locks in Chris Wearmouth and Graeme Dunn with a combined age of 75!
Tom Mann had a fine game at full-back, and there was another outstanding display at number eight from Charlie Richards.
Also catching the eye was Australian flanker Joel Broderick, and Jake Rodgers again excelled at fly-half.
Tynedale made an electric start, Caudle forcing his way over from a scrum close to the line on three minutes, for Rodgers to convert.
Fylde were penned in their own 22 for long periods, with Tynedale’s co-skipper Will Miller almost over on a couple of occasions.
The Tynedale pack was totally dominant, putting the visitors under so much pressure that referee Nikki O’Donnell was obliged to show a yellow card to centre Alex Clayton on 14 minutes.
It only took a minute for Tynedale to use their extra man to good effect, when a pinpoint cross kick by Rodgers on the edge of the 22 sent Roberts in for the second try.
Rodgers was unable to convert, but two minutes later, good work by Broderick put in Hutton in the corner, and Rodgers converted nonchalantly from the touchline for a 19-0 lead.
Fylde threw on replacements Adam Lewis and Oliver Trippier to stiffen their front row, and they finally emerged from their own half with some good play.
One attack was halted by a blatant shoulder charge from Roberts, which cost him a yellow card, and Fylde were in with a sniff, until in the dying seconds of the half, Tynedale broke away for Hutton to claim his second try to give Tynedale a comfortable 24-0 lead,
Fylde made the perfect start to the second half, when they scored straight from the kick-off, Alex Clayton atoning for his yellow card with a timely touchdown, fly-half Will Hunt adding the conversion,
But Tynedale hit right back, with Roberts gathering the ball in his own half before slicing through half the Fylde side for a quite scintillating try of the season contender.
But again, Fylde came back, setting up a maul close to the Tynedale line from which scrum-half Ben Gould exploded to touch down, Hunt’s conversion making it 29-14.
Fylde now had their tails up, and dominated possession and territory for some time, before some magical sleight of hand between Rodgers and Mann created an overlap from which Roberts steamed in for the hat-trick to make it 34-14 with 14 minutes left.
Fylde staged a grandstand finish, with players queuing up to score on 70 minutes when the Tynedale defence yawned open, for left wing Jordan Dorrington to cross for a converted try.
Five minutes later, Fylde struck again, with right wing Leo Gilliland securing the four-try bonus point.
The relatively straight forward kick would have secured a second losing bonus point, but Hunt screwed it wide to leave the score at 34-26.
The alarm bells were starting to ring, but Tynedale calmed things down, and were on the attack when the final whistle sounded.
Tynedale are on their travels this Saturday, when they go to Humberside to take on strugglers Hull, lying one place off the bottom.
They have no game the following week, then it’s the showdown with Macclesfield, on March 14.
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