AFC Fylde made sure they took all three points back to the Fylde Coast after securing a 1-0 win over Alfreton Town, thanks to a Nathan Delfouneso header.

It wasn’t the prettiest of afternoons, but the Coasters made sure they got the job done in the end with a really gritty performance.

Despite having no real rhythm to the game, up popped Delfouneso on his debut after 80 minutes, as the forward leapt to nod in Joe Rowley’s hung cross to the back post.

Adam Murray made four changes to the side that secured victory over Darlington FC, with Dan Pike, Dan Malone and Joe Rowley replacing Connor Barrett, Danny Whitehead and Siya Ligendza. Harry Davis replaced the suspended Alex Whitmore.

Following Tuesday’s postponement, the Coasters were raring to go, and it took just two minutes for them to register their first effort on target.

A long throw from Dan Pike was flicked by Emeka Obi to Luke Charman, whose header at goal was well saved by George Willis.

With just 10 minutes on the clock, Fylde produced their second chance already when Joe Rowley turned on a six-pence and drove at goal before feeding Charman inside the box, though as he let rip at goal, he watched the shot travel inches wide.

Despite the home side doing all they could to delay proceedings at every opportunity possible, the Coasters almost took the lead after a long ball from Pierce Bird was nearly headed into the Alfreton goal by Danny Preston, with the ball skidding just past the post as Willis scrambled back to his line.

Alfreton did have the ball in the back of the net via Tom Denton, with the towering forward heading in an Adam Lund long throw, but he did so by fouling Neal in the process, with the referee awarding the Coasters a free-kick.

No real momentum could be gained by the Coasters so far, but as the half drew to a close, Danny Philliskirk found Dan Pike unmarked with a lovely threaded-through ball, leaving him to go agonizingly close, smashing off the post from a tight angle.

Half-Time: Alfreton Town 0-0 AFC Fylde  

There was an early chance for the home side following the restart when Adam Lund’s long throw caused problems and found Yusifu Ceesay 12 yards from goal, who turned and hit a tame effort into the gloves of Neal.

A quiet half was to follow the opening ten minutes or so – however, when the Coasters did push forward, they carried a threat.

Sustained pressure eventually led to Nick Haughton finding space to drop a shoulder and test Willis down to his right, with the ball taking a slight deflection before going out of play.

You just knew the Coasters would continue to probe, and the introduction of Nathan Delfouneso prompted them to do just that.

As pressure built and the final whistle approached, Rowley managed to burst down the line and beat Preston for pace to hang a cross to the back post, where Delfouneso was waiting to pounce, rise high and head into the back of the net and secure a huge three points for Murray’s men.

Full-Time: Alfreton Town 0-1 AFC Fylde     

Alfreton Town: Willis, Teale, Preston, Cantrill, Smith, Wiley, Salam, Branson, Denton, Ceesay, Lund (81’ Hobson).

Unused subs: Askew, Dearle, Butterfield, Thewlis. 

AFC Fylde: Neal, Obi, Davis, Bird (56’ Cybulski), Conlan, Pike, Philliskirk, Malone (62’ Whitehead), Haughton, Rowley, Charman (70’ Delfouneso).

Unused Subs: Barrett, Hatfield.