Match sponsor: Chartwell Finance Management

Whilst Fylde's six defeats this season have effectively ruled them out of the promotion stakes, five of these have been by seven points or less. The only exception is the 23-33 loss at Caldy. Fylde have a chance to gain some revenge for this when they welcome the 2nd placed Cheshire club to the Woodlands on Saturday (ko 15.00) for what is likely to be another rough, tough and close contest - and one of the top games of the season. The visitors will be busting a gut to gain maximum points from the fixture following Saturday's home defeat by promotion rivals Nuneaton who have now taken over poll position in N3N. They really can't afford another defeat and hope to maintain pressure on Nuns.

Caldy have had a tremendous season, only their second in the National Leagues. They have only lost four games so far and have led the division for the majority of the campaign.

Founded five years after Fylde in 1924, the two clubs have played each other at various levels over the years but never in league competition before last season. Fylde edged home with a 11-9 win at the Woodlands in September thanks to a late penalty by Mark Edwards. Caldy won the return fixture with a greater degree of comfort, by 22-7 at Paton Field. In 1997/8 there were six levels difference between the two clubs. But whilst Fylde have fallen two divisions since then, Caldy achieved three promotions in the past six seasons. By finishing as outstanding champions of North One in 2006/7 they achieved national league status for the first time as well as reaching the semi-final of the National Intermediate Cup at Twickenham.

Caldy had a very sound first season in 2007/8 and finished in 5th place in the division behind Fylde who were 3rd. The Club recruited wisely in the summer with a number of experienced players moving to Paton Field. This has paid off as they have won fourteen of their eighteen league games to date. Caldy's rugby management has recently changed with Director of Rugby Anthony Atherton recently standing down following a ten year stint due to personal reasons. Very able Head Coach Matt Holt is responsible for the direction of the 1st team.

Caldy is a particularly interesting club because it has built some of its success on the back of one of the best organised youth development systems in the North West. Whilst the majority of their squad have been imported from other clubs, there is a representation in the 1st team squad of young players who have come through the Mini-Junior & Colts system. The Club makes much of its pioneering work as one of the first clubs in the North to achieve the RFU's advanced 'Seal of Approval' status.

Caldy established an Academy system in 2006 and whilst this is rather different to the model that Fylde has adopted with its Centre of Rugby Excellence then it has attracted young players to the club and assisted in their development.

Influential imports include the outstanding former New Brighton, Orrell & Cheshire totemic lock Richard Bradshaw, ex-Waterloo back five player Paul White (Caldy's 2006/7 player of the season), hooker Neil Dowridge (Doncaster), former New Brighton back five player & Cheshire County skipper Jon Sewell and ex-Waterloo scrum-half John Broxson. They also benefitted by the mass departure of players from West Park last season by attracting massive prop Ian Critchley, lock Dave Westhead, winger or fullback Mark Turner and goal kicking centre or winger Andrew Soutar to the Club.

Local products in a very big and strong pack include flankers Jake Lyon, who had a spell at Waterloo, and the outstanding no 8 and vice-captain Sam Dickinson.

Amongst the backs, skipper Sean Woof returned to his home club following successful seasons away playing national league rugby at Waterloo, Worcester, Leeds, Birmingham & Sedgley Park and former Manchester, Stourbridge & Harrogate fullback Chris Buck also joined in early season. Their principal and very reliable goal kicker is young centre Gavin Roberts who has notched 192 league points to date.

The Caldy team is: 15 Mark Turner; 14 Andrew Soutar, 13 Gavin Roberts, 12 Sean Woof, 11 Liam Devaney; 10 Chris Buck, 9 John Broxson; 1 Gavin Woods, 2 Neil Dowridge, 3 Derek Salisbury, 4 Paul White, 5 Richard Bradshaw, 6 JJ Dickinson, 7 Matt Lamming, 8 Sam Dickinson.

Replacements: Oliver Cooper, Jim Remfry, Dave Mercer, Matt Pennington, Dave Westhead.  

Fylde retain the squad that did so well at Kendal with one change to the starting line-up. Steve Nutt is expected to return to the fly-half berth unless he suffers any reaction to training on Thursday evening. The only other change sees Richard Kenyon named amongst the replacements.

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	Adam Lewis Parker International		Craig Aikman Bill Beaumont Textiles Ltd		Andrew Irving JGT Solicitors
	Alan Holmes JPS Partnership		Steve Nutt Pemberton Dairies		Mark Darlington HRH Entertainments
	Kieron Brookes EC Chemicals		Oliver Brennand Arena Sport		Dan Palmer Thornton Rugby Club
	Alistair Atkinson EC Chemicals		Tom Albinson The Vixens		Richard Kenyon Clifton Dental Practice
	Roger Banks (c) Fylde Supporters Club (Oman)		David Wiseman JGT Solicitors		Mark Edwards Cowley Fire
	David Wilks The Rooms Lytham		Mike Waywell Club Media Ltd	Â	Â
	Mark Stephenson Nirvana Audio Visual		Martin Wallwork The Gift Pack Company	Â	Â
	Dan Bowman Handelsbanken	Â	Â	Â	Â

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Match sponsor: Chartwell Finance Management

Fylde Rugby Club is extremely grateful for the continuing support of Chartwell Finance Management as sponsors of Saturday's game. We hope that they and their guests have a great afternoon out at the Woodlands!

Established for over 21 years, Chartwell have offices in Poulton le Fylde and now also in Park Street, Lytham.  Their advisers all have further qualifications over and above those usually held by Financial Advisers.  Each has their own area of specialism, meaning all areas of Financial Planning can be handled by an ‘in house’ expert.

Working together with your other professional advisers, the main objective of Chartwell’s advice is to provide holistic and impartial Financial Planning on an ongoing basis.  Remuneration is by way of an agreed fee by or rebate of commissions.  So if you need advice on any financial matter, be it mitigating Inheritance Tax, planning for retirement, mortgages, or commercial matters, Chartwell will give you an impartial view.

For further information call (01253) 887030, website: www.chartwell-ifa.co.uk or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

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Saturday's referee: following the excellent Chris Sharp who officiated the last home game (v Macclesfield), we are proud to welcome another principally National One referee, Mark Wilson to the Woodlands on Saturday. Some quick research suggests that he may well have last visited the ground in the 2000/1 season when he was in charge of the games against Rugby Lions and Bracknell.