Westoe skipper wants a Fylde treble
WESTOE will tomorrow make a coast-to-coast journey to one of the North's most famous clubs.
While the Shieldsmen's fortunes have prospered in recent times, those of Fylde have declined from their glory days in the former National One league.
And when they run on to the Woodlands ground in Lytham St Annes it will be as teams on virtually level pegging midway in the 16-club National 2 North division.
Both have 11 victories from 23 games, but Dunes Adventure Island-sponsored Westoe's better bonus point record has put them a place ahead in seventh top spot.
Many renowned players have worn the Lancastrians' claret, gold and white colours, by far the most famous being the legendary Bill Beaumont – a one-club man – who played for England 34 times, skippering the national side to a grand slam triumph in 1980 as well as being a British Lions captain.
The great man was on the touchline in November, 2007, when the two clubs clashed for the first time ever in the second round of the EDF National Trophy, Westoe, then a league below their opponents in North One, winning 22-10.
And last November Fylde again arrived in town for their first league confrontation and were swept away by a first-half six-try blitz, Charlie Rayner scoring a hat-trick – as well as kicking five conversions and a penalty in the game – and although the visitors fought back well after the interval they still lost 43-21.
Hardly surprising, then, that a preview of tomorrow's game on the club website states: "We will be very keen to restore some pride and earn our first win in competitive action against the Shieldsmen."
For his part, captain Gareth Nesbit will fancy Westoe's chances if they maintain the standards set in their two previous matches, narrowly beating the dangerously on song Leicester Lions at home and then losing 19-17 when hosts Harrogate scored a converted drive-over try in the last play of the game on Saturday.
Nes, who is certainly not a whinger, said: "We were all convinced that the ball was not grounded but the referee's decision is final.
"As far as we are concerned, it now belongs to the past while it is the next game that matters.
"The important aspect was that we again played well both as a team and individually, and our aim must be to take that form and endeavour to Fylde.
"There is no question that we can beat anybody in this league if we all perform to the level of which we are capable."
David Haswell, always dominant in the backs, was not named in the provisional squad, but will make the 150-mile trip if a late test shows that he has sufficiently recovered from a head injury that sidelined him last week.
* For the benefit of travelling sat-nav supporters, the Blackpool Road ground's post code is FY8 4EL.
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Weather for Jarrow
Tuesday 22 May 2012
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