My usual Sunday morning routine (after the obligatory ablutions) starts with watching Match of the Day whilst I have breakfast. This week’s first game featured Brentford v Wolves. The final score was 5 – 3 and, ignoring the more asinine remarks from the reporter, the commentary could easily have accompanied the match between Ionians and Fylde.

“A score in the opening minutes, what took them so long!”, “…casual defending from both sides…” and “…ridiculous this game, virtually every attack results in a missed chance or a score”.

They were certainly right about one thing; it was “tremendous entertainment for the neutral”. There were few of those at Brantingham Park. The Fylde faithful were relieved and ecstatic in equal measure and Ionians supporters were left dejected and wondering what happened to the resolve so much in evidence last week at Leeds.

This is a much changed Fylde side from last season but they still run the ball at every opportunity, it’s in their DNA. Within the opening minutes we saw the successor to the likes of Brennand, Royle and Carlton when Freddie Reader grabbed the ball on half way, burned off two players, skipped round two more and dotted down over the line. The conversion was added by Patrick Bishop, another new to the fold, for an early 7 point lead.

Within a couple of minutes Ionians were exposed again, this time on the opposite wing with some fast hands and dubious defending allowing Alex Clayton to cross for a try. Bishop was again on target and Fylde were 0 -14 up within the opening seven minutes, leaving the hosts with a monumental task.

Ionians showed they might just be up to the challenge with a try to match anything Fylde looked capable of. Cam. Burnhill stepped inside his marker and picked out Will Yates, he burst forward before being dragged down. The ball was turned inside to Joe Makin who swept the ball sweetly and speedily to Alan Hudson, charging on like the light brigade and quickly re-cycled possession went to Lewis Minikin, who split the defence to go over for a try. He added the goal to bring the score back to 07 – 14.

The attacking intent was inexorable, the defending more arbitrary, and Fylde could easily have stretched the lead with a break that took play 80m up field. Clayton took entirely the wrong option and Ionians were able to prevent any further damage, with a penalty allowing them to clear up field.

A powerful run from Yates got Ionians up close to the line, ruck ball was swung out to Burnhill, who’s diagonal run brought him back into close proximity with Yates, and the brawny winger brushed off the attentions of his marker to muscle his way over in the corner. Minikin’s effort from the tee drifted agonisingly wide of the upright but Ionians were only two points down and in the ascendency.

The pack came to the fore; powerful carries from George Mewburn and Makin got Ionians onto the front foot and a good old-fashioned push in the scrum resulted in a penalty, for Minikin to put Ionians a point in front five minutes from the break.

It was a short-lived lead. Fylde knocked a penalty, following a “high” tackle, into touch. Unlike the home line-out, which had failed miserably through-out the half, it was guaranteed possession and the visitor’s drove for the line. The drive was held but Fylde peeled off the back and the secondary probe had loanee hooker, Tom Davis, burrowing over for the try. Bishop’s goal ended the half with Fylde in front, 15 – 21.

Ionians snatched the lead back within the opening minute of the second half. A Ben Smith break, a rare but equally delightful occurrence, opened up the opposition for Josh Britton to exploit the hole in mid field, he brushed past several tackles before crossing over for the try. Minikin hit true from the tee for Ionians to hold a slender one-point advantage.

Defending didn’t seem to enter the equation for either side. The back row duo of Harrison and Quinn were punching holes through the Ionians first line of resistance and a barn-storming run from Harrison forced the home side back into their own 22.

After a few drives came up short they managed to barge over for a try to Mike Walton. The extras from Bishop put Fylde back in the driving seat, 22 – 28. There was still plenty of time for drama, only five minutes had elapsed since the re-start.

The scoreboard was static for nearly quarter of an hour, though Ionians cocked-up a gilt-edged chance when the simplest of passes went to ground and that after some intricate handling in the build-up. It was the hosts who got things ticking over with another try.

It was an inauspicious build-up. Almost inevitably Ionians lost possession at a line-out, but were awarded a scrum, after Fylde knocked on. The ball was swept from the base of the scrum to Josh Britton to muscle his way forward and when the ball came free to Minikin he wove his way over. The successful conversion put Ionians a solitary point to the good, 29 – 28.

Fylde then lost the services of David Fairbrother for ten minutes. In his absence Ionians extended the lead with a Minikin penalty, the second of two attempts. It was understandable that the hosts eschewed the line-out option but perhaps scrummaging with a man advantage should have been considered.

There was still more than ten minutes to go and Fylde were making light of the reduced numbers, piling on pressure in the home 22. Nothing seemed to be going Ionians’ way and this became apparent when Joe Makin was sent to join Fairbrother on the sidelines.

A succession of penalties were taken as tap and go to keep Fylde camped within sight of the Ionians line. However, defensive fortitude finally arrived and George Mewburn put in a fantastic tackle to drive Fylde backwards. Unfortunately, the follow up resulted in another penalty award that Bishop put into touch.

The throw was true and Fylde rumbled towards the line. Held again they swept the ball wide for Reader to cross for his second try of the match. Bishop struck an excellent conversion and Fylde were back in front with 10 minutes remaining.

The home side had the bulk of possession in the remainder of the match but couldn’t avoid the attention of Mr Howarth’s whistle or make a telling enough break to snatch back the lead.

Indeed Fylde could have made the game safe when they broke nearly the length of the field to score, only to have the effort chalked off, thanks to a brilliant intervention from Sam Pocklington that ensured replacement Cameron Smith clipped the touch in his sprint to the line.
It was an enthralling contest which either team could have won. Ionians didn’t because they gave themselves too much to do after such a disastrous start.