Danny Ormerod’s double and goals from Jon Ustabasi and Nick Haughton ensured AFC Fylde returned to winning ways with an excellent 4-1 victory over Maidenhead United in the Vanarama National League at Mill Farm on Saturday.
Ormerod scored in each half, either side of Reece Smith’s equaliser and Ustabasi’s strike before Haughton wrapped up the win with a fourth late on in the second-half, securing three-points.
Head Coach Chris Beech made three changes for the visit of the Magpies from last weekend’s game at Boreham Wood, with Joe Westley, Dan Adshead and Max Conway coming into the starting side for Josh Kay, Danny Whitehead and Tom Walker.
Maidenhead created early opportunities, with Sam Graham forced to clear Tristan Abrahams’ snapshot in the box.
Captain Harry Davis and Conway then had to thwart efforts in quick succession from Kevin Lokko and Smith.
Adams threaded through a pass to Smith who powered an effort towards goal from the left which Theo Richardson did superbly to turn behind for a corner.
Adshead’s ball out wide set Ustabasi free to drive down the left, which started a positive team move, crossing into the box for Haughton to hold off his marker and feed Adshead for a first-time effort, but Will De Havilland was well-positioned to make a challenge.
Midway through the half, Ustabasi led a quick Coasters breakaway up after skipping past Jayden Mitchell-Lawson. Fylde’s number 19 sent a ball which following build-up play from Ormerod, Haughton weaved into the box, but his strike was charged down by a combination of Sam Beckwith and Lokko.
Beckwith came to Maidenhead’s rescue again minutes later, clearing Davis’ looping header from a set-piece off the line.
On 31 minutes, Mill Farm remembered Sam Kelly, a Coasters supporter who sadly passed away last year aged 31.
Fylde led after 35 minutes after an excellent counter attack. The Coasters cleared Maidenhead’s corner through, freeing Haughton into space to move ball forward was chased onto by Ormerod, who made no mistake in a one-on-one situation to calmly shoot low under Ross and into the bottom left-corner.
Late in the half, Casey Pettit profited from a loose ball on the edge of the box to hit an effort at goal which clipped Richardson’s crossbar and went over.
Following the restart, neat passing play between Adshead and Ethan Mitchell worked play across to Ustabasi, who sent a ball over the top of the Maidenhead defence aimed for Westley, but Ross beat the Coasters’ forward to the ball.
Fylde survived a scare when Adams’ corner was parried out by Richardson, with Davis there to prevent any danger.
Ormerod then found himself on the right to cross into the box which narrowly evaded the boot of Westley, as Maidenhead cleared.
Alan Devonshire’s men equalised on 57 minutes when Smith’s run down the left saw him curl right-footed across the turf which went in off Richardson’s bottom right-post.
But Fylde were soon back ahead on the hour. Ustabasi won possession on the left and raced at speed towards goal before finishing left-footed into Ross’ bottom right-corner.
Pushing to extend their advantage, Haughton’s powerful dipping free-kick from distance was pushed over by Ross. From his resulting corner, Mitchell flicked an effort off target.
And the Coasters scored a deserved third with 77 minutes played, with Ormerod meeting Connor Barrett’s pinpoint cross from the right to guide his back post header into Ross’ net.
The Coasters’ fourth was scored by Haughton with 90 minutes on the clock, who cut inside to bend a fantastic left-footed strike past a crowd of players and into Ross’ bottom left-corner, to seal an important triumph on home soil.
AFC Fylde: Richardson, Barrett, Davis ©, Graham, Conway (Walker 90), Mitchell, Adshead, Ustabasi (Long 80), Haughton, Ormerod, Westley
Subs not used: Hunter, Whitehead