05/10/2026
Saturdays Match Day Report is now LIVE.. 🏉
DARLINGTON MOWDEN PARK 45 FYLDE 10
Fylde made their sixth visit to the Northern Echo Arena since Darlington Mowden Park moved into the massive new stadium in 2013. Apart from an exceptional performance there last season, it’s not been a happy hunting ground for the Lancastrians and they lost once again by a substantial margin.
It was interesting to read the following sentence in the match programme for DMP’s first ever visit to the Woodlands in October 2003. “An important development is DMP’s formal link with Newcastle Falcons. Players from the Premiership Club’s 2nd/Academy team will play for DMP in the coming season.” That relationship has changed over the last 23 years but with the takeover of the Falcons by the Red Bull company last season this is once again providing a development route for talented young players and the exchange of coaches between the clubs.
DMP took the lead within the first two minutes of the match. Fylde exited well from the kick off with Slawson’ kick taking play to just inside Fylde’s half. However, the home side drove the maul 10 metres and then beat a narrow defence for wing Alfie Warwick to score in the corner.
Five minutes later Fylde were behind their sticks again. Slawson’s sliced kick went out on the full and gave DMP a lineout just outside Fylde’s 22m. They moved into midfield, scrum half Ben Douglas spotted a gap and whilst he was scragged down short, fly half Charlie Dineen was on hand to take the offload to score a try which was converted by fullback Mark Williams.
Fylde then had some ball inside the DMP half but they conceded a penalty which put them back under pressure and resulted in a third try, this time for ho**er Charlie Turnbull and William’s conversion put them 19 points ahead.
Once again Fylde soon found themselves defending their own line. On this occasion, however, they won a penalty which was taken quickly and the ball spun wide to Kelso on the left wing. He got to half way before DMP killed the ball and gave away a penalty.
Another penalty soon followed which gave Fylde a lineout inside the home side’s 22m. Here was a serious opportunity to open their account but, as too often this season, the lineout went awry. The ball was cleared to winger Ben Turner and after chipping ahead he was taken out and the offender, lock Luke Coulston, was sent to the sin bin. Another attacking lineout followed but again Fylde were unable to turn pressure into points.
Despite the man advantage, Fylde found themselves defending their line again and winger Warwick picked up his second try in the corner. To compound matters, Matt Garrod was shown a yellow card for an earlier infringement. The final 10 minutes of the half was played without further score with Fylde going into the changing rooms 24-0 down with much to ponder.
A couple of changes were made at half time with Lewis Quinn and Theo Hulbert replacing Greg Morgan and Ethan Hulme.
DMP’s lead was extended on 50 minutes with fullback Mark Williams running in unopposed from the 22 which he converted himself.
Just before the hour Fylde finally got on the scoresheet. Concerted pressure led to penalties and with Olli Trippier now on the field the lineout was performing more effectively. The initial maul was stopped close in but Matt Garrod managed to drive over in the corner. Felix Twitchett came on for his debut at full back.
DMP’s next try came from prop Sam Clark after a break away down the short side, and once again the conversion was successful. Fylde’s second try of the match came from an opposition scrum on their own 5m line. This was a facet of the game which Fylde had the upper hand throughout the match but on many occasions weren’t given the rewards they deserved. This time they were. They pushed DMP off the ball and were awarded a penalty. Mike Walton tapped and drove forward. He was halted but flanker Lewis Quinn followed up to score and reduce the deficit to 38-10.
The final word, however, went to DMP as fly-half Dineen picked a nice line to score his second and the conversion took the score to 45-10.
Fylde had the better of the territory in the second half albeit by this stage they were well behind on the scoreboard. As has been the story for the season so far, they failed to take advantage of field position due to a lack of composure or accuracy with more often and not the errors being unforced. The scrum was a positive no matter which front row combination was on the pitch. Centre Aaron Pope had some good touches on his debut in midfield and Twitchett got his first taste of national league rugby.
Fylde slip one place to 9th in National Two (North) and will now look forward to welcoming another prominent North East club to the Woodlands, Tynedale, next Saturday.
Attendance: 627
DMP: 15 Williams; 14 Armstrong (Mackenzie 52), 13 Checksfield (Dinneen 74), 12 Greenlaw, 11 Warwick (Turnbull 70); 10 Dinneen (Armstrong 70), 9 Douglas (Dyer 54); 1 Kitenge-Fuki (Barron 45), 2 Turnbull (Wood 61), 3 Clark (Kitenge-Fuki 61), 4 Forbes, 5 Coulston, 6 Davison (Laffy 52), 7 Craggs, 8 Butterill.
FYLDE: 15 Cassidy (Twitchett 60), 14 Turner, 13 Pope, 12 Forster, 11 Kelso; 10 Slawson, 9 Maguire; 1 Spencer (Hulme 67), 2 Williamson (Trippier 52), 3 Hulme (Hulbert 41), 4 Greenwood (Morgan 67), 5 Garrod, 6 Morgan (Quinn 41), 7 Marsh (Wilkinson 60), 8 Walton (Marsh 77).
