The Coasters rounded off pre-season with a win over Oldham Athletic ahead of their National League North opener on Saturday 6 August.

Nick Haughton was the man who was at the double to bring victory to James Rowe’s side with two first-half goals. One a cute finish from a tight angle, and the other a long-range strike.

Despite the Coasters making a bright start to proceedings, Oldham were gifted a golden opportunity in front of goal, which they took when Ben Tollitt picked the ball up on the edge of the area and curled it into the back of the net.

Determined not to let the early Oldham goal affect them, the Coasters were putting together some smart moves, which led to Haughton picking the pocket of Harrison McGahey to finish into the bottom left corner from a tight angle.

It was a good showing by James Rowe’s side so far, and they nearly grabbed a second when Connor Barrett’s dangerous cross from the right was almost turned in by an Oldham shirt, which cannoned back off the post, with the offside flag eventually raised.

Haughton was looking the most likely as he lined up another shot from distance, with Magnus Norman this time holding well as the ball skidded off the wet surface.

However, Norman couldn’t keep Haughton out again after the creative midfielder drove forward, cut inside and unleashed a laced effort into the top corner of the net on the stroke of half-time.

Half-Time: AFC Fylde 2-1 Oldham Athletic AFC

The first real moment of the second half belonged to Chris Neal after he first kept out a powerful strike from an Oldham trialist before rushing out to deny Mike Fondop-Talom on the rebound.

Looking for his third of the afternoon, Haughton stepped up to a free-kick from 25 yards out after picking himself up from the original foul. Standing in his way was Norman, who tipped over the bar to deny Nick his hat-trick.

Oldham, of course, wanted to get something from the game before their National League opener, and they nearly pulled a goal back when Jack Stubbs skidded a cross of the saturated surface and onto the head of Junior Luamba, who rattled the outside of the post.

The game was played at a high standard throughout, and the Coasters were good value for money, with Trialist B almost turning in Harvey Gregson’s cross, but he put the shot just wide of the post, with the Coasters rounding off pre-season with a win.

Full-Time: AFC Fylde 2-1 Oldham Athletic AFC   

AFC Fylde: Neal (70’ Simkin), Whitmore, Obi (70’ Davis), Bird (59’ Morrison), Cranston, Barrett (34’ Osborne), Whitehead, Philliskirk, Haughton (70’ Gregson), Rowley, Trialist A (57’ Trialist B).  

Unused subs: Byrne.

Oldham Athletic: Norman, Clarke, McGahey (59’ Trialist), Hogan, Francis-Angol (72’ Couto), Gardner (72’ Vaughan), Stobbs, Tollitt (59’ Burgess), Hope (59’ Luamba), Sheron (45’ Fondop-Talom), Porter.

Unused subs: Leutwiler, Edwards.