Match Reports
Away form continues for Morley
Wednesday 19th March 2008 6:14PM
Fylde 30 Morley 7
MORLEY are now embroiled in a three-team relegation battle to retain their National Three North status after showing plenty of guts, but little in the way of finishing power, at promotion-chasing Fylde last Saturday.
MORLEY are now embroiled in a three-team relegation battle to retain their National Three North status after showing plenty of guts, but little in the way of finishing power, at promotion-chasing Fylde last Saturday.
The Maroons were dealt a blow 15 minutes before the start when Scott Benton was declared unfit, forcing Dave Evans to move to scrum-half and Peter Murphy to fly-half while Andrew Ellis came into the 15 at centre with Sean Dadswell on the bench.
Fylde started strongly as fly-half Steve Nutt kicked a straightforward penalty after three minutes when Morley strayed offside.
However, Morley showed real spirit to battle back and take the lead. Michael Ash found Craig Field and his 40-yard run took Morley almost to the Fylde line. The ball was quickly recycled and Murphy burst through a flat-footed defence for a good try. Dave Evans converted to give Morley a 7-3 lead.
At that point Morley needed to get a grip on the game but could not put a brake on Fylde.
From a 10th minute scrum just inside the Morley half, Fylde scrum-half Martin Wallwork ran on the blindside before releasing Nick Royle, who broke down the touchline before cutting infield, scything through the Morley defence and touching down between the posts. Nutt converted to give Fylde a 10-7 lead.
Scott Evans took up a great position to deny Royle an identical try with a terrific tackle before Morley battled back and dominated for the next 15 minutes.
A quick, flat, Nutt pass was intercepted by Ellis, who hared for the line, only to be brought down by a fine last-ditch tackle from opposite number Alex Hurst.
Fylde cleared the danger but Morley soon came again. Field broke from a maul and was pulled down a metre short. Dave Evans missed a kickable penalty which would have levelled the scores again and Fylde flanker Dan Beaumont was yellow-carded.
Morley went all out to take advantage of the extra man as the forwards battered the Fylde line but could not break through and Field moved quickly to cover as Royle looked for another try.
Just before half-time the home side broke to take play inside the Morley '22. From a lineout the Fylde forwards' driving maul rumbled towards the Morley line before forcing Beaumont over for a timely try.
Nutt's conversion was missed as Fylde were lucky to take a 15-7 lead into half-time and if Morley's attacks had shown a degree more precision and penetration the score could have been quite different.
The home side turned things around after the break and full-back Mike Waywell fed Oliver Brennand 40 yards out and the winger raced away before chipping the last defender. In the race for the line the ball unluckily bounced off a Morley player's heel and Mike Waywell dropped on the loose ball for a try. It was not converted but the hosts had a comfortable 20-7 lead.
Morley refused to go quietly and harried and hustled all over the pitch. However the weakness for the Maroons was the lineout which allowed Fylde to keep the pressure on.
Morley tried to change things round with their replacements but Fylde extended their lead with another Nutt penalty. Ellis made a terrific break but was pulled down just short. Evans tried to put Rika in at the corner but the ball just eluded him.
Jonathan Hampsey was strong in the tackle and denied Fylde a try.
In the last 10 minutes the home side were camped in the Morley half, seeking the fourth bonus point and, with two minutes left, John Armstrong side-stepped a defender before popping up a pass for Waywell to touch down. Nutt converted and the final whistle sounded shortly afterwards.
Morley made the afternoon very uncomfortable for the home side with a skillful and brave performance.
Fylde captain Roger Banks paid tribute to the Maroons after the game, saying: "Morley were a very tough team indeed. There's no way that they should be threatened by relegation, they are much too good for that. It just shows how hard this division is."
Fylde: Waywell; Royle, Hurst, Hunter (Armstrong 40), Brennand; Nutt, 9 Wallwork; Filipo (Simpson 58), Holmes (Tyms 65), Clark, King, Banks (Schinkel 65), Beaumont, Wilks, Beaumont.
Morley: Evans; Hampsey, Pease, Ellis, (Dadswell 80) Ash; Murphy, Evans; Gabriel, Treco, Benn (Gray), Challinor, Chippendale, Field ( Dodgson 66), Hewetson, Spence (Rika 50).
Fylde started strongly as fly-half Steve Nutt kicked a straightforward penalty after three minutes when Morley strayed offside.
However, Morley showed real spirit to battle back and take the lead. Michael Ash found Craig Field and his 40-yard run took Morley almost to the Fylde line. The ball was quickly recycled and Murphy burst through a flat-footed defence for a good try. Dave Evans converted to give Morley a 7-3 lead.
At that point Morley needed to get a grip on the game but could not put a brake on Fylde.
From a 10th minute scrum just inside the Morley half, Fylde scrum-half Martin Wallwork ran on the blindside before releasing Nick Royle, who broke down the touchline before cutting infield, scything through the Morley defence and touching down between the posts. Nutt converted to give Fylde a 10-7 lead.
Scott Evans took up a great position to deny Royle an identical try with a terrific tackle before Morley battled back and dominated for the next 15 minutes.
A quick, flat, Nutt pass was intercepted by Ellis, who hared for the line, only to be brought down by a fine last-ditch tackle from opposite number Alex Hurst.
Fylde cleared the danger but Morley soon came again. Field broke from a maul and was pulled down a metre short. Dave Evans missed a kickable penalty which would have levelled the scores again and Fylde flanker Dan Beaumont was yellow-carded.
Morley went all out to take advantage of the extra man as the forwards battered the Fylde line but could not break through and Field moved quickly to cover as Royle looked for another try.
Just before half-time the home side broke to take play inside the Morley '22. From a lineout the Fylde forwards' driving maul rumbled towards the Morley line before forcing Beaumont over for a timely try.
Nutt's conversion was missed as Fylde were lucky to take a 15-7 lead into half-time and if Morley's attacks had shown a degree more precision and penetration the score could have been quite different.
The home side turned things around after the break and full-back Mike Waywell fed Oliver Brennand 40 yards out and the winger raced away before chipping the last defender. In the race for the line the ball unluckily bounced off a Morley player's heel and Mike Waywell dropped on the loose ball for a try. It was not converted but the hosts had a comfortable 20-7 lead.
Morley refused to go quietly and harried and hustled all over the pitch. However the weakness for the Maroons was the lineout which allowed Fylde to keep the pressure on.
Morley tried to change things round with their replacements but Fylde extended their lead with another Nutt penalty. Ellis made a terrific break but was pulled down just short. Evans tried to put Rika in at the corner but the ball just eluded him.
Jonathan Hampsey was strong in the tackle and denied Fylde a try.
In the last 10 minutes the home side were camped in the Morley half, seeking the fourth bonus point and, with two minutes left, John Armstrong side-stepped a defender before popping up a pass for Waywell to touch down. Nutt converted and the final whistle sounded shortly afterwards.
Morley made the afternoon very uncomfortable for the home side with a skillful and brave performance.
Fylde captain Roger Banks paid tribute to the Maroons after the game, saying: "Morley were a very tough team indeed. There's no way that they should be threatened by relegation, they are much too good for that. It just shows how hard this division is."
Fylde: Waywell; Royle, Hurst, Hunter (Armstrong 40), Brennand; Nutt, 9 Wallwork; Filipo (Simpson 58), Holmes (Tyms 65), Clark, King, Banks (Schinkel 65), Beaumont, Wilks, Beaumont.
Morley: Evans; Hampsey, Pease, Ellis, (Dadswell 80) Ash; Murphy, Evans; Gabriel, Treco, Benn (Gray), Challinor, Chippendale, Field ( Dodgson 66), Hewetson, Spence (Rika 50).
Tony Barber Morley Observer & Advertiser
