Att: 102

AFC Fylde are through to the Doodson Sport League Cup Second Round after a 2-0 win over lower-league opposition on Tuesday night.

A debut goal from Mark Winslade six minutes into the second half and a penalty converted by Joe Booth with 20 minutes to go was enough to seal victory against a decent Mossley side.

As expected, Fylde boss Dave Challinor made a number of changes from the 1-1 draw at Matlock on Saturday handing debuts to Winslade and youngster Jake Gregory, as well as handing starts to Ryan Charnley and Joe Booth.

Winslade almost marked his debut with a goal inside the first 30 seconds when he raced through onto a loose ball but shot over from 10 yards.

And soon after Booth curled a low free kick around the box and Brad Barnes had an effort on goal which were both blocked by the home defence.

Dave Hankin headed a good cross from Adam Sumner wide of the mark in the 22nd minute and then Booth saw another effort blocked and cleared after some good passing play from The Coasters.

The home side then had the best chance of the half when they made a brilliant team move which was started and finished by Lewis Nightingale when he volleyed wide of the mark with the goal at his mercy from 12 yards with half an hour gone.

Both sides had good chances to take an early second half lead – first Hankin’s cross-come-shot was almost fumbled over his line by the home keeper Chris Thewliss before Simon Gallanders shot wide from the edge of the box for Mossley.

The opening goal finally came, and it was a well-worked move ending in Hankin laying-off for Winslade to shoot first time 14 yards out and burying the ball into the bottom left corner with 51 minutes on the clock.

With the home side looking dangerous going forward despite being a goal down, Fylde knew a second goal was crucial to make sure of the tie.

Sumner swung a curling free kick into the box on 54 minutes which Thewliss did well to gather and two minutes later, Mossley’s top goal scorer, Douglas Carroll, should have better when he shot across the face of the goal and wide.

Literally a minute after entering the pitch for his debut, youngster Joe Mullen almost scored from his first attack for Fylde. Winning the ball on half way, he layed the ball off, surged forward and produced a fine save from Thewliss to deny him a debut goal of his own.

But, with 20 minutes remaining, the tie was settled when Sumner was hacked down in the box and Booth duly stepped up to bury the penalty into the bottom right corner to double Fylde’s lead.

Carroll then had another great chance to reduce the deficit with eight minutes remaining when he shot wide after creating a chance for himself on the edge of Fylde’s box.

Challinor was pleased with the win, saying after the game: “It’s not a competition that is high on our priorities but it’s an opportunity for some of the lads to get some minutes and for the younger ones to experience First Team football if you like.

“I thought in the first half we were a little bit slow and I asked them to play with a little bit more intensity at half time and I think we did that in the second half and came out deserved winners in the end.

“It was good to see Mark get a goal on his debut as well after we’ve worked hard to get him through the international clearance so he could play and we could look at him tonight, as we’re obviously short on strikers, and he did well and he’ll certainly add to the squad.”

This was Challinor’s first win as Fylde boss in this particular competition and they now look forward to finding out who they will meet in the next round.

Up next though is a tough FA Trophy tie at another Division One North side, Curzon Ashton on Saturday – kick off 3pm.

AFC Fylde: Hinchliffe, Gregory (Mullen 66), Sumner, M. Hughes (C), Russell, Denson, Booth, B. Barnes, Winslade, Charnley (Duffield 66), Hankin; Subs not used: Winter, C. Hughes, M. Barnes.