This feature divulges into the past and looks at the success that The Coasters have had since the re-branding as AFC Fylde. This time, we look back on a 2-2 away draw at Stafford Rangers in the NPL Premier Division from last season….

Stafford Rangers 2-2 AFC Fylde (07/12/13)

The Coasters picked up a valuable away point at Stafford Rangers thanks to two goals in the last ten minutes.

A first half brace from Louis Harris after 11 minutes and in first half stoppage side looked sure to get the home side all three points but a smash and grab effort late on from The Coasters saw the spoils shared.

Debutant Marcus Carver reduced the deficit nine minutes from time before Luke Denson smashed home Fylde’s second four minutes into stoppage time.

If Fylde could have buried one or two of their countless chances in the first half it would have been a different story but after Matty Blinkhorn had shot wide from Denson’s through-ball on six minutes, the home side snatched the lead five minutes later.

It was former Fylde winger Jimmy McCarthy that set the goal up finding space to send a cross into the six yard box from the left and Harris was on hand to squeeze between the two centre backs to tap into Fylde’s goal.

The Coasters couldn’t buy a goal as Carver, Winter and Blinkhorn missed further chances for an equaliser as the first half wore on and even Andy Russell couldn’t divert a header past Brain from Denson’s lob into a crowded area.

The sucker punch came in the first minute of stoppage time. Harris was able to run through a static Fylde defence and tap in a free kick fired into the box from deep at the near post for a 2-0 half time lead.

The Coasters came out early for the second half and aimed to get that first goal straight away. Carver missed a chance before substitutes Aaron Fleming and then Jack Dorney shot wide of the post within the first six minutes.

Sean Kinsella and Nathan Rooney forced decent saves from Ben Hinchliffe to keep Fylde in the game. Blinkhorn then broke on 62 minutes, raced into the Stafford penalty area and instead of shooting, this time he decided to square to Carver but Tom Marshall managed to block the pass.

It was all Fylde for the remainder of the match as they desperately tried to find a goal which would liven the game up – Carver was very unlucky to head Denson’s goal away from the goalmouth just two yards out three minutes before Tom Eckersley headed Sumner’s free kick over the bar and with 15 minutes to go Dorney sent another shot narrowly wide.

But, with nine minutes remaining, Fylde grabbed a goal back through Carver heading in the rebound from Blinkhorn’s initial shot which was saved by Brain.

Two minutes later, Carver nearly had his second from a fluke clearance that smacked against his knees, bounced back over the outstretched Brain and hit the post and went wide.

Three minutes before the end, Russell headed Sumner’s corner over before Jack Lees was denied a winning goal by an excellent block from Denson inside his own area. But deep into injury time, Denson was on hand to fire in a deserved equaliser from inside the box and rescue what was a valuable point for The Coasters in a promotion winning season. 

Coasters XI v Stafford Rangers: Hinchliffe, Eckersley, Sumner, M. Hughes (C) (Dorney 46), Russell, C. Hughes (Fleming 46), B. Barnes, Winter (Booth 79), Blinkhorn, Carver, Denson

Subs: Winslade & Gregory.

 

Let’s hope we can write more history this weekend against Stalybridge Celtic in the Vanarama Conference North!