AFC Fylde suffered their first defeat of the New Year as they went down 1-0 away to Woking.

Lazar Stojsavljevic’s looping header was the difference between two sides who went into the match in contrasting form, with Fylde undefeated in seven and Woking without a win since November.

Dave Challinor named an unchanged side for the third match running with the league’s top scorer Danny Rowe leading the line. 

Captain Sam Finley fired an early sighter inside the opening two minutes – a piledriver that flew over the bar from distance.

The Coasters were taking the game to the hosts and Jonny Smith was a whisker away from opening the scoring with a delightful curling effort from the right of the box. 

Challinor’s side were given a huge let off just before the 20 minute mark when Anthony Cook’s dangerous free-kick from the right made its way to the back post where the lurking Josh Staunton poked the ball against the underside of the crossbar.

Woking were forced into an early change midway through the half when Louis Ramsay went down before being replaced by Richard Orlu. 

An uneventful first period was almost brought to life when Reece Grego-Cox touched the ball past Jordan Tunnicliffe and burst through one-on-one with Jay Lynch, only to see his low effort brilliantly saved by the legs of the advancing goalkeeper.

Rowe launched a speculative strike from distance as the Coasters started to press but on-loan keeper Nathan Baxter held well on his goalline. 

The deadlock really should have been broken five minutes before the break. Rowe nudged the ball onto Smith on the edge of the area, who in fed Finley who was in acres of space however he got it all wrong and lashed over from six yards.

Matt Young almost handed the Coasters a half-time lead when he inadvertently turned Rowe’s low strike goalwards, however Baxter was alert and claimed the ball in the nick of time.

Smith went for the spectacular as the second-half kicked off, however his clever back heel was easily claimed by Baxter. Cook flashed one across the Fylde goal in a bright opening for both sides.

And just four minutes after restart and Woking took the lead. A corner was cleared out wide however the second cross was met by Stojsavljevic who looped a header over Lynch into the far corner of the goal. 

The goal sparked Fylde in to life and Rowe was agonisingly close to levelling the scores when he burst forward and saw a left-footed strike deflected narrowly wide of the far post.

Serhat Tasdemir was introduced on the hour and almost made a dream start when he was played in down the left however his tame effort floated well wide of the near upright.

Zaine Francis-Angol’s deep cross was headed back across goal by Muldoon and whilst thew ball was well taken by Rowe, has strike from 10 yards was comfortable for Baxter.

The Fylde frontman was presented with another shooting chance in the box when the ball fell kindly at his feet however, after a quick shimmy, his shot was deflected wide. 

Cook stung the palms of Lynch as the clock wound down whilst Fylde huffed and puffed at the other end but to no avail.

Greco-Cox could have wrapped up the points for the hosts in the final seconds when he raced towards goal however the end product was missing as he flicked a strike well wide. 

AFC Fylde: Lynch, Burke, Tunnicliffe, Stubbs, Francis-Angol, Bond (Chettle 71), Montrose, Finley, Muldoon (Blinkhorn 81), Smith (Tasdemir 61), Rowe.

Subs not used: Grand, Taylor.

Woking: Baxter, Young, Ramsay (Orlu 25), Staunton, Stojsavljevic, Ferdinand, Isaac (Lathrope 65), Carter, Grego-Cox, Cook, Banton (Edwards 81).

Subs not used: Appau, Mason

Ref: Simon Barrow.

Att: 1,865