Despite equaling club history by reaching the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup, it was a heartbreaking end for AFC Fylde who fell to a 3-2 defeat against Leeds United at Mill Farm.

The Coasters found themselves two goals down at the break, before a second-half consisting of three goals and two red cards ended in defeat for Nathan Delfouneso and Sean Landin’s determined side.

The visitors got proceedings underway but it was the young Coasters that threatened first when Eli Da Silva played a dangerous ball goalward that led to a corner inside three minutes.

There were penalty appeals for the Coasters just shy of the 15 minute mark when Hailwood believed he was pulled over by Coban Bird before Joleon Moore’s strike deflected wide for a corner. Meadowcroft connected with the subsequent set piece but his header was easily claimed by Leeds number one George Kenyon.

Mason McKay came agonisingly close to firing the hosts into an early lead as his volley cannoned back off the post and out of play following Moore’s looping ball towards the back stick.

The visitors then took the lead through Oliver Pickles with ten minutes left to play in the first 45, arguably against the run of play. His free-kick from just in-front of the corner flag on the left-hand-side caught Clarke off guard low towards his near post.

Momentum was with the Lilywhites towards the end of the half as Bird tested Clarke from close range just after the opener.

Pickles then doubled his tally and his side’s advantage from the spot with just over five minutes until the interval when Clarke brought down Boast inside the area as he chased a long ball over the top that caught the backline off guard.

Alex Frost got the second-half underway as the Coasters looked to re-start on the front foot with Da Silva darting into the area and sending a low drilled ball into the middle that was subsequently cleared by the Leeds backline early in the second 45.

There were a flurry of strong challenges early in the half with both sides seeing several players going into the book after a scuffle in-front of the home dugout.

Delfouneso’s side started the half with energy and tenacity, pressing the visitors backline with every opportunity, forcing there long ball on several occasions and regaining possession.

Harvey Vincent saw red for the visitors just shy of the hour mark as he received a second-yellow-card for a late and dangerous challenge on Coar in the left-back position, with his first booking coming during the scuffle earlier in the half, leaving his side plenty of defensive work to do for the remainder of the encounter.

It was not long before Fylde had a goal back when Holder calmly slotted the ball to the right hand side of Kenyon in the Leeds goal. McKay played a brilliant ball towards Da Silva as he entered the visitors box before unselfishly teeing up the Coasters captain who halved the deficit from close range.

Within a minute of play resuming Fylde were level thanks to a brilliant header across goal from Da Silva on the back of Hailwood’s pinpoint cross into the six-yard-box. A bullet header to even out the encounter once again.

There was a break in play as Hamilton received treatment for the visitors, giving the home side some rest bite from their resilient display.

Leeds then regained the lead following a quick break on the back of a corner being cleared as Render’s cross was bundled home by Louie Dudley at the back stick catching the Coasters off guard with bodies forward.

Following a lengthy break in play while Clarke received treatment in the Fylde goal play was resumed as his side looked to find a leveller once again as Hailwood forced a corner with the game trickling into the final five minutes of regulation time.

Da Silva forced a stretching save from Kenyon as he directed Hailwood’s teasing ball goanward, before it was eventually cleared out for a throw-in by the right-hand corner. Holder fired a powerful effort just wide from a long-throw into the box early in the 11 minutes of added time.

The Fylde number seven was then dismissed for a late challenge on Dudley, leaving both sides with ten men on the field. There was again another confrontation between both sets of players as the referee booked another Leeds defender after he left substitute Alex Lee Green on the ground in need of treatment.

There was another penalty appeal for Fylde over an hour into the second 45 as Destin Vika believed he was bundled over by Dudley.

A third scuffle between the sides sparked after the final whistle as AFC Fylde’s history making FA Youth Cup run came to an end.

With well over 110 minutes of football the tie came to an end with Leeds United running out 3-2 victors at Mill Farm despite a resilient second-half comeback attempt from AFC Fylde.