By Richard Sykes
For the second week running Huddersfield suffered the agony of late defeat in a game they dominated and held the lead in for most of the 80 minutes.
In their National 2 North fixture at Lockwood Park they scored four tries, including two by hooker Ethan Myers, but never-say-die Fylde found a way to win.
Huddersfield held a 15-point lead with 15 minutes remaining but two converted tries in two minutes by Fylde’s lively backs put them back in the game and a late penalty sealed an unlikely 34-32 victory.
The scoreline and manner of defeat was identical to the one suffered by Huddersfield at Sheffield Tigers last week.
Having resisted a determined opening by Fylde with some solid try line defence, Field produced their best attacking rugby of the season in the opening quarter and came close twice in the first 10 minutes.
That was firstly when a maul from a lineout was driven over the whitewash and secondly after a right wing chip through to the goal line at the end of an excellent move triggered by Max Horsfall who had to leave the field through injury when play was halted.
Myers opened the scoring on 15 minutes with a penalty as Field continued to press. No8 Liam Parfitt made a threatening 30 metre break but when his offload went astray Fylde seized the opportunity to counter. From a right hand lineout the ball was whipped through the hands to Ben Turner for a try in the opposite corner to give Fylde a brief lead.
The try went unconverted and after the re-start Field full-back Lewis Workman and back rower Lewis Quinn combined to make ground and force a penalty and yellow card for Fylde No8 James Collins for a deliberate knock-on.
Scrum-half Paul Harrison kept the pace lively, changing the line of attack with a superb reverse pass and when Fylde were penalised again the kick took play to their five-metre line.
Although Fylde survived the drive they went behind again when trying to run the ball out. George Collins made a good interception on the right wing and raced in unchallenged behind the posts for a try which Myers converted with ease.
Field continued to dominate and from behind a five-metre scrum flanker Lewis Quinn notched a third try with Myers’ conversion attempt bouncing agonisingly wide off the upright.
Approaching half-time Field lock Luke Pearson saw yellow for a high tackle and Fylde fly-half Greg Smith nipped in for a try to narrow the gap and make the score 15-10 at the interval.
Huddersfield made a determined start to the second half and 10 minutes into it they had increased their lead by another 10 points. A second penalty by Myers was followed up by a converted try by flanker Francis Entressengle.
The penalty was given for a blatant side entry at a ruck by Fylde full-back Jordan Dorrington who was sin-binned for his transgression and after a 50-metre break by Field from the re-start the visitors had more penalty problems on their line. Field opted to scrummage and Entressengle was put in by Harrison after solid work by the pack.
The signs that Fylde were far from beaten soon showed when Lanigan made a lightning centre field break with flanker Sam Parker on his shoulder. Parker received the perfect gift of a pass to score between the posts and Smith added the extras.
Myers restored his team’s advantage with a converted try on the hour. After some excellent build up, which took play 40 metres up field, Fylde were penalised and Myers cashed in after a textbook maul from the lineout.
Field played the final quarter with 14 men. Skipper Ed Barber was given his marching orders for obstruction after a quickly taken tap penalty. Barber protested that he had merely held his ground but referee Moorhouse was likewise equally unmoved.
Fylde made the utmost of the one man advantage with Adam Lanigan and Alex Clayton showing their pace on supporting inside lines to score quickfire tries.
After Lanigan had cruised in between the posts Fylde launched from deep after the re-start and Turner broke clear. He was hauled down by a superb tackle by Workman but he popped a perfect off load to Clayton who raced home.
Smith converted both and kept his nerve to land the match winning penalty. Parfitt became the sixth player to receive a yellow, an ignominious end to his 100th appearance, and Fylde controlled possession in the final 10 minutes to run down the clock and complete a season’s double.
Field host Rotherham Tigers at Lockwood Park on Saturday March 2 (2.00).
Image by: RAY MORRIS
