Danny Rowe’s 50th goal for AFC Fylde secured a comfortable 2-0 victory away at Gainsborough Trinity.

Sam Finley opened the scoring for the visitors when he poked home from a first-half corner before Rowe rifled in a stunning second to seal the points.

Solihull Moors’ defeat against North Ferriby United saw the Coasters close the gap at the top of the National League North table to just four points.

Manager Dave Challinor named the same starting line-up for the second week running following the 1-0 victory over rivals Chorley last time out.

The Coasters got off to a blistering start with Danny Lloyd and Rowe causing the hosts plenty of problems with their attacking play.

It was Lloyd who fashioned the first real chance of the match when he latched on to Rowe’s flick on, but could only direct his right-footed effort in to the arms of goalkeeper Jan Budtz.

Fylde were looking dangerous at set-pieces and Josh Langley had a header saved during a flurry of corner kicks.

Finley tried his luck on 19 minutes when he fired a left-footed volley towards goal, but it was comfortable for Budtz. Wilson tried an equally ambitious effort, however he was high and wide of the intended target.

Gainsborough, who had rarely threatened in the early exchanges, went close when Nathan Jarmen connected well with a free-kick from the right, but Ben Hinchliffe was well positioned to save his header.

The opener duly arrived on 26 minutes and it could have been avoided from the host’s point of view. Dion Charles forced Stephen Brogan into conceding a needless corner and Finley gleefully took advantage, stabbing home the loose ball from Lloyd’s in-swinger.

The visitors could have doubled the advantage moments later when Charles swept the ball over the bar from Rowe’s low cross.

Gainsborough defender Josh Lacey attemped to find the equaliser on 37 minutes when he danced into the area unopposed, but his left-footed strike barely even reached the goalkeeper.

There were shouts for a red card on the stroke of half-time when Lacey brought down Lloyd when clean through, but the Gainsborough man escaped with a yellow card. Josh Wilson’s effort from the resultant free-kick was well saved by Budtz.

Wilson went close again seconds before the break when he glanced a header narrowly wide of the post from Richie Baker’s cross.

The Coasters carried their momentum into the second period and captain Tom Hannigan was agonisingly close to nodding the visitors further ahead from Baker’s corner.

There was bad news for the home side when striker Anthony Wilson limped off five minutes after the restart with a suspected hamstring injury.

Things got worse for Steve Housham’s side when Rowe deservedly doubled the Coasters’ lead shortly before the hour-mark. The hitman picked up the ball on the left before cutting inside and rifling a thunderbolt past a hapless Budtz.

Only a top save from the Gainsborough stopper denied Hannigan from extending the lead further still from point-blank range on 62 minutes.

Six minutes later and Charles could have put the fixture to bed. The young winger tricked his way into the box, but his left-footed strike was wide of the far post.

With ten minutes to play there was a welcome return to action for Brad Barnes and Matty Hughes, who have both suffered with injuries of late.

The final opportunity of the game fell to the home side when Jarmen curled a vicious strike goalwards, however Hannigan was on hand to deflect the ball around the post.

 

Gainsborough Trinity: Budtz, Roma, Lacey, Brogan, D’Laryea, Picton, Russell, Richards (Binns 65), Wilson (Newsham 52), Jarmen, Yates (Davis 73).

Subs not used: Stamp, Hedge.

AFC Fylde: Hinchliffe, C. Hughes, Langley, Hannigan, Crainey, Wilson, Baker (Hughes 79), Finley, Charles, Lloyd (Barnes 79), Rowe (Blinkhorn 85).

Subs not used: Urwin, Whittle.

Goals: Finley 26, Rowe 58

Att: 406

Ref: Thomas Bramall