A LARGE crowd is expected at Beechwood on Saturday to witness the dawn of a new era for Lymm Rugby Club.

The first team’s home game against Morpeth, kick-off 3pm, will be their first on the newly-installed artificial pitch at the Crouchley Lane club.

The Rugby Football Union have signed off the pitch, giving it a full bill of ‘health and safety’.

Adam Fletcher’s side will hope a change of surface coincides with a change in fortunes after another defeat on Saturday, this time at promotion-chasing Blaydon.

However, a superb second-half effort in the north east ensured they brought back a four-try bonus point as Scott Redfern, James Pitcher, Cashel Chilvers, Joe Senior and Aaron Rasheed all scored tries converted by Cormac Nolan.

Unfortunately, though, they just missed out on a second losing bonus point as Blaydon ran out 43-35 winners in a high-scoring encounter.

“I think we were slightly unlucky not to have gone away with two points,” Fletcher said.

“It was a really disappointing first half – we quickly need to work out how to start games better as we can’t keep playing catch up in this league.

“Defensively, we were soft and conceded some pretty easy scores.

“The second half was a different story – our attitude and energy combined with better basics saw us score four converted tries.

“The character and skill the boys showed was really pleasing.”

Kick off at Beechwood on Saturday is at 3.30pm.

Lymm: Gavin Woods, James Pitcher, Jordan Widdrington, Aaron Rasheed, James Yates, Matt Connelly, Josh Hadland, Adam Bray; Tom Shard, Scott Redfern; Joe Senior, Ben Stansfield, George Norman, Nathan Beesley, Cormac Nolan. Subs: Matty Hand, Cashel Chilvers, Alfie Simpson

Meanwhile, veteran coach Peter Millachip was forced to take the field for a depleted Lymm second team on Saturday.

Short on numbers due to injury and unavailability, Millachip and his teammates battled bravely but eventually lost out 36-17 at Sedgley Park.