This Saturday, DMPRFC bid a very warm North East welcome to the players, officials and supporters of Fylde RFC, which may include their distinguished club member William “Bill” Beaumont, OBE, MBE, ex-England captain and British Lion, who is not only an IRB board member and Chairman of the England RFU, but who is also (which is a little known fact) still the longest serving team captain (14 years) on the BBC TV programme ‘A Question of Sport’.

With National League 1 currently split into 3 separate ‘mini-leagues’ i.e. 1st – 8th (then a 10 point gap) to 9th – 13th (then a 12 point gap) to 14th – 16th, Fylde RFC are currently 10 points adrift from the top group in 9th place and they will be endeavouring today to bridge the gap.

Fylde RFC have 10 wins, with 1 draw and 14 losses, accumulating 61 points in the process, with that total including 10-try bonus points and 9 losing bonus points.

Their top points scorer is in the ‘silver medal’ position in the league is fly half Chris Johnson with 213 points coming from 4 tries, 59 conversions, 22 penalties and 3 drop goals.

Their top try scorer is winger (ex-Durham University/Durham County) Ollie Brennand with 18 tries.

In the corresponding fixture played at the Woodland Memorial Ground back in November 2015, DMPRFC raced away into a 21-point first half lead with 2 tries and 2 conversions from Garry LAW and another try from Luca PETILLO.

Fylde RFC responded with a 17-point 2nd half salvo, but DMPRFC did just enough to hang on for the win.

It will be just as close this weekend as their DOR/Head Coach Paul Arnold will certainly have his charges up for the game.

Last time out Fylde RFC beat bottom club Henley Hawks RFC (35 – 21) in the week before the Easter break.

DMPRFC overcame Hull Ionians RFC away (20 – 22) in a physical encounter that had the lead changing hands several times.

An early try from Simon UZOKWE followed by a conversion and 5 penalties from Warren SEALS were just enough to see off a hard-working home side, who succumbed only to the final kick of the game.

No let up in training since then will have the available squad itching to get back on the paddock, in the first of the 5 remaining games of the season, in an attempt to attain the highest ever league position in the clubs 71 year history.