Rugby Lions recovered well after their big defeat a week earlier at Leicester Lions to gain a very satisfying win against a Fylde side who have had the upper hand in recent seasons and who won by the narrowest margin in the reverse fixture when they scored an added-time try.

Rugby missed an immediate chance to score when Tom Harris collected jack Green’s deft crosskick but was too close to the touchline to avoid being flagged.

But Lloyd Warner kicked two penalties to give Rugby a lead they needed while playing with a breeze behind them.

The game was almost as closely contested as that game at Fylde’s Woodlands ground although there were more errors by both sides who also both had influential players missing – Fylde without Nick Royle who scored that late try and Nick King and Rugby without Matt Goode.

Both sides also lost their hookers to injury early on.

With time running out in the first half, Phil Reed, forming a very effective centre partnership with Joe Marston, scored a vital try following a good Lions move, Warner converting for a 13-0 lead.

Fylde outside half Tom Barlow put his side on the scoreboard with a penalty so there was still a job to do when Lions came out for the second half with a stronger wind in their faces.

As in the first half, Rugby had a very early chance to score but the final pass was had and high and burst through replacement hooker Ben Spokes’ hands with the tryline begging.

Some inaccurate passing was putting Lions under pressure but still the defence was so much tighter than a week earlier and Fylde could not cut further into Rugby’s lead until Barlow’s second penalty on 55 minutes.

Scrum half Justin Parker then lifted Lions with a stunning try following Lloyd Saunders’ run, Parker ghosting through with no Fylde player able to lay a finger on him to give Rugby an 18-13 led that proved to be the final score.

Fylde made the inevitable late push in the last quarter and from a penalty lineout former Lion Martin Wallwork claimed the touchdown for 18-13, Barlow missing the conversion to prevent a single penalty or drop kick potentially costing Rugby the win.

Rugby remained strong through the final moments and Fylde errors helped their cause.

But this will be a real boost to Lions before a week off from league action is followed by a very difficult final series of matches against four of the best packs in the league and including three of the top four sides.

Rugby Lions: Warner, Gregson, Marston, Reed, Harris, Green, Parker, Williams, Price, Major, Weaver, Braband, Saunders, Nash, Campton. Reps: Spokes, Andrews, Pateman, Munro, S Collins