Fylde 39 Wharfedale 12: Greens prove no match for free-flowing Fylde

The home side were runaway six-try winners with the blistering pace of winger Oli Brennand supplying three of them.

While energetic back play is very much the mantra of former England coach Brian Ashton, the real scoring power – and indeed the decisive tries – resulted from his forwards’ power in finishing off positions near the line created by sweeping back play.

The home side took an eighth-minute lead when flanker Mark Stephenson was driven over in the corner from a powerfully organised line-out rolling maul and fly-half Steve Collins added a fine touchline conversion.

It took Wharfedale only a few minutes to respond to this early setback when Andy Hodgson broke clear to score at the end of a neat line movement following severe forward pressure on the home line.

Unfortunately for them, the Greens were on the retreat thereafter until the final quarter of the encounter.

As the game petered out as a contest, Wharfedale finished the match hammering away at the Fylde line and were rewarded right at the death with a penalty try converted by substitute fly-half Tom Barrett.

In between these scoring crumbs, Wharfedale were chasing both the ball and the game as the home side dominated the play.

Deprived of any true breakdown contest by the perpetual motion of their hosts, the Wharfedale back-row were unable to exert their usual influence on proceedings.

Indeed, it was the substitute Fylde flanker Cameron Thompson who increasingly caught the eye, starting with his try in the 23rd-minute.

This was followed by Brennand’s first and Collins quickly added his team’s fourth try as well as kicking two conversions and a penalty to give Fylde a healthy and commanding 27-5 lead by the interval.

It was more of the same after the break with Brennand completing his hat-trick before Wharfedale’s final compensatory finish.