Rugby Lions put up a hugely impressive defensive performance against a tough and aggressive Fylde side and it was very harsh for a late moment of brilliance to rob them of a notable victory.

Fylde had a noticeable breeze in their favour and used it from the start to pin down Rugby in their own half.

The big home pack then pressed forward, but Rugby’s pack, superbly led by Alex Nash, was able to deal with everything thrown at them.

Matt Goode created his side’s best chances but both times events conspired against him.

But when giant lock Nick King pinned him down away from the ball, although no action was taken by a relatively ineffectual referee, King was still offside when the ball hit him and Lloyd Warner opened the scoring with a penalty for 0-3 on 28 minutes.

Fylde have rapid backs and new England Sevens selection Nick Royle found a few metres of space to race home for a converted try that gave his side a 7-3 lead.

The half-time whistle followed a flurry of punches at a scrum but Lions will have felt satisfied with their defensive effort limiting the lead and with the wind to favour them after the break.

However, during the break the wind unaccountably turned 180 degrees and also strengthened to give Lions an uphill task to keep Fylde at bay.

It cost Lions dearly straight after the restart when Warner’s long, high straight kick stalled to fall just below the crossbar.

Again under almost non-stop pressure with clearance kicks gaining little territorial advantage, Rugby defied Fylde with a performance of real character.

On 69 minutes there was a breakthrough in this tightest of games and it went to Rugby.

A good move by the Lions back row produced a penalty which Rugby tapped for Goode to slice through to score, Warner adding the extra points for 7-10 with just 10 minutes for Lions to continue to hold out.

But with the clocking indicating full time, Royle kicked ahead and had the pace to dive on the touchdown for the winning try, his 100th for Fylde.

It was extremely hard on a Lions side who had produced a tremendous defensive display of true grit that would have silenced the isolated criticisms heard a week earlier at Webb Ellis Road.

Rugby Lions: Warner, Marston, Goode, Reed, Harris, Green, Handley, Burchnall, Spokes, Pateman, Campton, Braband, Humphrey, Nash, Walton. Reps: Weaver, Andrews, Williams, Barker, Warrilow