AFC Fylde suffered a 2-0 home defeat against Aldershot Town in the Vanarama National League at Mill Farm on Saturday.
Second-half goals from Ryan Glover and Tyler Frost proved decisive for the Shots and allowed them to claim all three points.
Adam Murray made five changes from last week’s game at Dagenham & Redbridge. Goalkeeper Max Metcalfe made his Coasters debut, whilst captain Alex Whitmore and Danny Philliskirk, making his 200thappearance, came into the side.
Pierce Bird and Luke Charman also returned to the starting line-up, coming in for Theo Richardson, Harry Davis, Kieran Glynn, Owen Evans and Nick Haughton.
Debutant Metcalfe was kept busy in the opening minutes, keeping out low efforts from Josh Stokes and Frost before Fylde grew into the contest, as Danny Whitehead’s strike from distance was blocked, and Charman was denied superbly in the box by Jack Bycroft after Siya Ligendza nodded down Luke Conlan’s pass.
The Coasters’ next opportunity came midway through the half. Bird’s free-kick was controlled by Philliskirk and moved out to Josh Kay on the right, who cut inside and bent his left-footed strike across the goal and just over Bycroft’s upright.
Up the other end, Conlan was in place to clear well in the area under pressure after Ollie Harfield’s cross had dropped in a dangerous position.
Fylde forced Bycroft into another good stop when Ligendza went through one-on-one with the Shots ‘keeper – however, his powerful drive was pushed away to safety.
Murray’s men went close again when Whitehead’s corner to the back post found Whitmore, who guided the ball into a crowd of players, which was eventually met by Bird, who hit his first-time effort wide.
Lorent Tolaj had two late attempts to open the scoring for his side, but Whitmore’s sliding challenge prevented his strike from troubling Metcalfe before the Shots attacker bent a free-kick from 25 yards off target.
Half-Time: AFC Fylde 0-0 Aldershot Town
Fylde began the half with attacking intent, and Bycroft was well-positioned to hold to dive low and thwart Charman and Ligendza early on before Murray made his first change six minutes into the half, as Connor Barrett came on for Kay.
The Coasters had defending to do when Emenka Obi’s tackle stopped Thomas Kwame’s attack before Taelor O’Kane’s superb ball-winning challenge on Tolaj. Haughton was next to enter the pitch, as Murray swapped O’Kane for the Coasters number 10.
Metcalfe was called upon midway through the half, saving Tolaj’s low left-footed attempt down to his left.
However, Tommy Widdrington’s visitors took the lead after 69 minutes when Glover’s low shot from the left side of the Coasters box found its way into Metcalfe’s bottom right corner.
Fylde looked for an immediate response, with Haughton’s snapshot arrowed straight at Bycroft and Ligendza having the ball in the net only for it to be ruled out for offside.
Moments later, Barrett got beyond his marker, drove into the box and delivered a pinpoint cross towards Ligendza, but he couldn’t get his back post header on target when pressured by Coby Rowe and captain Aaron Jones.
Gold Omotayo was substituted on for Bird and nearly made an impact straight away – however, after good build-up play from Conlan and Ligendza, a cross into the box evaded him, which Harfield cleared.
Aldershot doubled their lead 10 minutes after the opener when Metcalfe was unable to stop Frost’s 25-yard drive from reaching the top left corner before late opportunities at goal for Fylde fell to Charman and Haughton, both saved by Bycroft, whilst Metcalfe denied Kwame – as the Coasters were beaten.
AFC Fylde: Metcalfe, Conlan, Whitmore ©, Obi, Bird (Omotayo 74), Kay (Barrett 51), O’Kane (Haughton 59), Whitehead, Philliskirk, Charman, Ligendza.
Subs not used: Davis, Ustabasi.
Aldershot Town: Bycroft, Hatfield, Harries, Rowe, Scott (Mullins 90+6, Jones, Glover, Frost (Ochieng 90+4), Stokes (Willard 75), Kwame, Tolaj
Subs not used: Westen, Burnett.
Attendance: 1,384
