AFC Fylde moved back up into fourth in the National League North table following a sensational 5-2 victory over promotion-chasing Boston United. 

Matty Hughes headed home the opener before Dayle Southwell equalised with a fantastic free-kick. James Hardy regained the lead on the stroke of half-time and Josh Langley extended the advantage shortly after the break.

Boston looked to make it a nervy end when Mark Jones headed home but Richie Baker restored the two-goal lead. 

The Pilgrims were then reduced to ten men when Cameron Johnson was dismissed for a two-footed challenge on Hughes and Dion Charles compiled the visitor’s misery when he curled home in added time.

Coasters boss Dave Challinor made two changes to the side that drew at Nuneaton in mid week. Adam Sumner replaced Tom Hannigan with Stephen Crainey filling in at centre back and youngster Hardy earned a rare start in place of Danny Lloyd.

Fylde had the first big chance of the game when Bohan Dixon pulled the ball back for Matty Hughes who took a touch but couldn’t stretch to put the ball past Speiss. The first goal came moments later however as Richie Baker stole the ball from Burgess to cross for an unmarked Hughes to head home from 10 yards.

Boston equalised five minutes later as the league’s top scorer Dayle Southwell curled a stunning free-kick into the top left corner from 25 yards leaving Matty Urwin little chance. The visitors almost went ahead when a free kick into the penalty area fell kindly at the back post for Zak Mills but he couldn’t connect cleanly and it ended up in the grateful arms of Urwin.

Fylde had a great chance to retake the lead when Hughes cut in from the right and squared the ball to Dixon but his low shot was parried by Fabien Speiss and eventually cleared for a corner. Southwell nearly grabbed his second of the afternoon with a delicate lob over Urwin from 20 yards but it landed just over the bar. The in form front man seemed to injury himself in the process however and was replaced by Mark Jones.

Danny Rowe almost gave the Coasters the lead twisting and turning his way past two defenders before bending a shot just wide of the right hand post from the edge of the box.

A lovely move involving Caspar Hughes, Dixon and Hughes saw the latter dummy the ball for Danny Rowe to bend a shot over the bar from the left hand side. Boston responded with Jones’ inswinging cross narrowly
missing two Pilgrims forwards.

Fylde retook the lead just before half time when Langley burst through the middle of the pitch unchallenged and played the ball to Hardy on the right. The youngster ran forward and took advantage of a Boston defender’s slip to place the ball into the bottom left corner from the edge of the box.

Jay Rollins had the first good chance of the second half when he lashed a shot from the edge of the box and Urwin tipped the ball over the bar for a corner. Fylde nearly made it three when Hardy jinked his way into the box and played the ball to Rowe but his shot from close range was saved by Speiss. Hughes then missed a great chance to make it three, bending a shot well wide from inside the box.

Rowe was next to go close with a low shot from the left which was tipped around the post by Speiss. Carl Piergianni almost put the ball in his own net when he deflected Caspar Hughes’ cross just to the left of the goal before Rowe was denied yet again from a corner, however Langley was on hand to convert the rebound from six yards following a goalmouth scrap.

Rollins had a chance for the visitors when he turned Hughes but his curled effort bounced into the arms of Urwin.

Jones gave Boston a lifeline with around twenty minutes to go when his header looped into the top right corner beating Urwin at full stretch. Less than a minute later Fylde restored their two goal lead when Dixon’s clever backheel teed up Baker to smash the ball into the bottom left corner.

It got worse for Boston when Johnson was dismissed less than two minutes after coming on as a substitute after a two footed challenge on Hughes.

Boston had a golden opportunity to get back into the game when Urwin misjudged the flight of a cross from the right and Jones nearly capitalised at the back post but his first touch was heavy and went just wide of the left hand post.

Substitute Charles almost got in on the act playing a great one-two with Rowe before poking a shot just wide of the left hand post. Charles was put through once again but Speiss denied him not once but twice. 

However, the winger was not to be denied for long and confirmed victory in stoppage time when he bent in a terrific fifth goal of the afternoon from 20 yards.

The Coasters are back in action this Tuesday night when they welcome Corby Town to Kellamergh Park.

AFC Fylde: Urwin, C.Hughes, Sumner, Langley, Crainey, Barnes, Baker, Dixon (85), M.Hughes (77), Hardy (75), Rowe
Subs: Hinchliffe, Blinkhorn (85), Collins, Charles (75), Lloyd (77)

Boston United: Speiss, Marrs, Garner, Piergianni, McEvoy, Burgess, Roberts, Rollins, Southwell (37), Hilliard (69)
Subs: Johnson (69), Jones (37), Ngamvoulou, Felix, Sands

STATS:
AFC Fylde:
Shots On 14
Shots Off 9
Corner 5
Offsides 3
Fouls 8
Yellow Cards 2
Red Cards 0

Boston United:
Shots On 6
Shots Off 5
Corners 4
Offsides 3
Fouls 8
Yellow Cards 2
Red Cards 1

Att: 479

Ref: Chris O’Donnell