Ethan Mitchell’s sliding finish and a well worked goal finished by Ustabasi proved to be the elusive moments, as The Coasters gained a massive three points on a wet and windy night at Mill Farm.

AFC Fylde huffed and puffed in the second half creating a wealth of chances, with the Wigan loanee’s second goal in AFC Fylde colours, and yet another on the break from the in-form Ustabasi being the difference in Easter Monday’s postponed fixture as 1,182 supporters saw Fylde edge towards mathematically securing their National League status.

Chris Beech made two changes to the AFC Fylde starting XI who fell short on the road to Ebbsfleet the weekend prior, with Fylde’s top scorer, Nick Haughton returning to the team for Tom Walker who dropped to the bench. Harry Davis’ red card at The Kufflink Stadium last weekend saw the skipper’s season come to a premature end, with Sam Graham replacing the club captain in the XI.

It was The Coasters who started the strongest, with the first change within the first five minutes as Adam Long winning the aerial battle saw Bashi find some space to drive into the area, with the visitors having to put their bodies on the line to stop the in-form Coaster firing on goal.

Danny Ormerod’s quick feet earned The Coasters a free-kick, where great build-up play saw the ball nestle at the feet of Ustabasi who drove into the box, before cutting back to Max Conway whose ball into the box fell to Danny Ormerod who couldn’t quite get it out of his feet with Gateshead able to clear.

A break in play at the eighteenth minute a Gateshead free-kick by Greg Olley found its way to the back-stick where Joe Cook flung himself towards the ball crashing through the advertising boardings into the North Stand. A few minutes later, play resumed with Gateshead in possession.

The Coasters’ number ten almost replicated his feet against Wealdstone, as Richardson’s quick thinking saw the ball distributed to Haughton who got the better of his man, striking from the halfway line, being inches away from the ball nestling into the far corner of Eddie Beach’s goal.

Gateshead hit back with their first chance of the half as Jack Stott’s long ball over to the back stick found Kain Adom, whose strike was well wide of Richardson’s goal, in the visiting side’s first opening of the half.

Joe Cook’s ball in towards Kieron Evans for the visitors, saw Mitchell take one for the team giving Gateshead a chance to whip the ball into a dangerous area, which the away side failed to take full advantage of as Evans’ strike was safely over the bar.

Joe Cook’s loose ball was picked up just shy of the half-time whistle by Jon Ustabasi who drove into the Gateshasd half twisting and turning inside the area, before forcing Kenton Richardson to deflect the ball behind for a corner. The resulting set-play saw Conway’s ball punched away by the goalkeeper before a loose ball on the edge of the area was picked up by Barrett, whose low-driven shot was palmed away in a superb stop by Eddie Beach in the Gateshead goal.

Fylde looked to hit Gateshead on the counter, as Nick Haughton’s lovely play with Dan Adshead saw Danny Ormerod get played in behind whose shot forced Beach into a big save.

Haughton caused a few nerves in the Gateshead camp a few moments before the break as he drove into opposition territory, letting fly a stinging strike that flew inches wide of Beach’s goal.

The Coasters started the second half strongly, Ustabasi striking well wide from range as Fylde asked questions of the Gateshead back line.

Ustabasi again asked questions of the Gateshead defence as he drove into the opposition penalty area, his strike narrowly everting the bottom corner.

Again, the home side continued to press, this time Connor Barrett’s driving run into the area, saw a wicked strike whistle over Beach’s crossbar, and into the North Stand.

Conway’s brilliant driving run from inside his own penalty area found Ustabasi who whipped a ball into the ball, only for it to be cleared back to the Fylde number nineteen whose strike whistled past Beach’s far post, as the home side looked to turn the screw heading into the final thirty minutes.

Robbie Tinkler gave the ball on a plate to Danny Ormerod who was bearing down on goal for The Coasters, the young striker found some space to cut it back to Nick Haughton, whose strike was blocked by the onrushing Robbie Tinkler, who made up for his mistake moments before.

Max Conway continued a Fylde persistence on goal, as his cross found its way to Danny Ormerod, whose weak shot ended up being gathered comfortably by Beach.

Gateshead did create a chance of their own just shy of the seventy-fifth-minute mark as a loose ball fell on the edge of the area to Jack Stott, but the resulting strike cleared the South Stand, situating the travelling sixty-nine Gateshead supporters.

But it was in the seventy-sixth minute that Fylde made their mark on proceedings when Max Conway’s inswinging delivery found its way into the area, where Ethan Mitchell was on hand to slide the ball past Eddie Beach in the Gateshead goal, before knee-sliding into the corner, the goal which at the time secured Fylde’s status in the National League for the 2024/25 season.

The Coasters then wrapped up the three points as Max Conway pounces on a loose ball, playing in Danny Ormerod who got in behind the Gateshead defence to play the ball across the face of goal to Ustabasi who rounded off a superb second half to poke home to an empty net.

AFC Fylde: Richardson, Long, Haughton (Evans 84’), Graham, Barrett, Ustabasi (Walker 90’), Conway, Whitehead, Adshead, Ormerod, Mitchell.

Unused Subs: Neal, Hunter, McCullion