Fylde refuse to be steamrollered by unbeaten Sedgley but Tigers march on
Sedgley Park didn't have it all their own way against Fylde but the table-toppers were still victorious
©TRU
On Saturday, I headed from Southport to Park Lane in Bury, Greater Manchester, for my fix of National League Rugby - Sedgley Park Tigers against Fylde in National Two North.
I had seen both sides earlier in the season and was looking forward to this Lancashire derby.
The autumn weather was fine, with little wind or rain, though the attendance looked lower than I had expected. Fylde arrived in their away colours, and Sedgley kicked off towards the clubhouse.
There had been one change from the matchday squads announced earlier in the week, with Freddie Ferguson coming in on the wing for Sedgley. The Tigers began sharply.
After early pressure, Joe Bedlow went over beneath the posts, and Oli Glasse converted. Beltus Nonleh added a second try, using his power to break through, before Ferguson marked his debut with a finish in the corner. At 19-0, Sedgley looked ready to take charge.
Fylde had other ideas. They competed in both the forwards and the backs and kept playing with ambition. Leo Gilliland scored twice in quick succession, using pace and sharp lines to expose space out wide. Both tries were well taken, and at 19-10 the visitors had made clear they would not simply be overrun.
That was a pattern throughout the game. There were spells when Sedgley looked capable of steamrollering their opponents, but Fylde kept finding ways back into it.
Sedgley’s handling of kick returns gave Fylde opportunities to regain territory and momentum. In the calm conditions, the box kick was less of a lottery than it can be in wind and rain, and both sides’ scrum-halves used it well. But Sedgley’s difficulty dealing with the returns helped Fylde stay in the contest.
For Fylde, the two wingers and scrum-half stood out. Their wide players were powerful and quick, willing to run angles, cut inside and attack the shoulders. Leo Gilliland’s three tries showed the value of that threat, and his finishing was excellent.
At scrum-half, Gabe Maguire moved the ball quickly from the base and offered a useful attacking platform. Fylde may have looked less mobile in the forwards than Sedgley, but they showed plenty of grit.
Sedgley’s quality was most evident in their forward power and the pace of their half-backs. Nonleh was superb up front.
Having enjoyed success with the Tigers before joining Northampton Saints, he is growing into his role back at Park Lane. He brought power in the scrum, mobility around the field and good hands in contact, repeatedly linking play and breaking tackles. His early try was only one part of an influential performance.
Bedlow was another key figure. Drawing on his experience with Sale Sharks, he stayed high in contact, creating opportunities to offload, and combined power with a strong sense of where the try line was. He scored twice, including the try that restored Sedgley’s control before half-time. Alex Minozzi added another, giving the Tigers a 33-10 lead at the break.
Sedgley’s lineout and maul offered a further weapon. Connor James and Bob Birtwell competed strongly in the air, and the Tigers turned their five-metre lineouts into sustained pressure close to the line.
Whether it was Luke Cole, Adam Mallinson or another forward carrying from short range, Sedgley had players ready to finish those chances.
Cole scored early in the second half to make it 38-10, but Fylde responded through hooker Rob Williamson, who finished a driving maul. Danny Rylance extended Sedgley’s lead, then Aaron Pope scored Fylde’s bonus-point try.
Mallinson and Gilliland traded the final scores: Mallinson from a quickly taken penalty, Gilliland completing his hat-trick after another determined Fylde attack.
Sedgley’s two scrum-halves, Mason Winterburn and replacement Jacob Tansey, were also impressive. Their quick service gave the Tigers momentum from both scrum and ruck, and with Alex Davies also pushing for selection, the club looks well stocked in that position.
The final score was 52-27, but the contest felt more competitive than the margin suggests. Sedgley showed why they remain unbeaten with nine bonus-point wins from nine, while Fylde earned their bonus point through resilience and some excellent attacking rugby.
The Tigers head to fourth-placed Hull Ionians next, while Fylde travel to Harrogate.
