AFC Fylde 3-1 Tamworth

AFC Fylde secured another crucial three points in the race for the title with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Tamworth.

The hosts broke the deadlock inside the opening two minutes when Steve Williams volleyed home before leading goalscorer Danny Rowe doubled the advantage.

Tamworth pulled one back before the break when Danny Newton headed home but Andy Bond made sure of the result to keep the Coasters ten points clear at the top of the National League North.

Manager Dave Challinor named the same side that beat Brackley the previous week with on loan defender Laurence Maguire making his home debut.

The Coasters flew out of the traps and took just 63 seconds in high winds at Mill Farm to open the scoring. Brendon Daniels’ whipped a in a freekick and centre-half Williams volleyed home left footed to stun the visitors.

Tamworth thought they had found an immediate response when match winner from the reverse fixture Danny Newton headed home but he was adjudged offside by the officials.

The hosts piled more misery on the Lambs on 18 minutes when hitman Rowe got in on the act. Bohan Dixon slipped a delightful ball inside the full-back to Macualey Wilson who in turn squared the ball for Rowe to roll home his 41^st goal of the season.

There was almost a carbon copy of the opening goal five minutes later when Daniels delivered an inviting cross from the left and Williams tested the goalkeeper with another effort however the referee blew up for a foul.

The home side were really enjoying themselves and almost made it three before the half hour when Rowe and Dixon combined but a last gasp tackle prevented the latter from getting his shot away and Rowe’s follow up was blocked.

Williams was proving a constant menace to the Tamworth backline and stopper James Belshaw had to be on his toes to keep out the defender’s header.

However, against the run of play Tamworth dragged themselves back into the contest. Connor Taylor beat Wilson to the ball down the left and floated a cross to the back post for the unmarked Newton to head onto the back of the net.

The Coasters had another decent chance before the break when Rowe crossed for Daniels however the winger’s header from ten yards was over the bar.

Tamworth were the first to threaten after the restart when Luke Jones headed narrowly wide from a Stephan Morley’s deep freekick. Ben Fox skewed a strike wide moments later as the visitors pressed for an equaliser.

Fylde hit back with an opportunity of their own when Daniels fizzed an effort across goal which firstly Williams and then Rowe at the back post failed to connect with. Bond tried his luck and would have added to his goal tally had it not been for a fingertip save from Belshaw.

However, just after the hour mark, he did just that. The stand-in captain set Dixon galloping down the right and the towering midfielder floated a wonderful cross to the back post for Bond to finish off what he started with a simple header.

The visitors almost grabbed a second in spectacular fashion when Ross Dyer crashed a sensational left-footed volley off the crossbar and Fox fired an attempt wide of the post on the follow up.

Belshaw prevented the hosts from bagging a fourth when a loose ball in the area fell kindly for Caspar Hughes to let fly and the keeper was equal to it.     

 

AFC Fylde: Taylor, Wilson, Langley, Williams, Jones, Bond (Finley 82), C. Hughes, Bradley, Dixon, Daniels (M. Hughes 90), Rowe.

Subs not used: Baker, Kennedy, Blinkhorn.

Tamworth: Belshaw, Burns, Morley, Fox, Jones, Lane, Green (Briscoe 84), Clarke (Opoku 76), Newton, Dyer, Taylor (Davies 84)

Subs not used: Davis, Jezeph.

Att: 1,572

Ref: Paul Brown