Two Danny Elliott goals saw the Coasters slip to defeat against Boston United in the National League North Play-Off Semi-Final.
After applying plenty of unwanted pressure in Fylde’s eyes, Elliott put the visitors in front after 80 minutes when he diverted past Chris Neal into the bottom corner.
The result for the Pilgrims was sealed moments later after Kyle Morrison hacked down Jake Wright Jnr inside the penalty area, leaving Elliott to step up and convert.
James Rowe named an unchanged side from the final day 1-0 victory over Leamington FC, with Bobby Jones earning a place on the Coasters subs bench.
After a fast-paced start to proceedings, no side was currently in real control, but the first chance of the game fell for Boston and Elliott.
He latched on to a deflected shot from the edge of the area and poked towards goal, which Neal was equal to at his near post.
Fylde started to get a foot on the ball as the game approached the ten-minute mark, and that led to Will Hatfield winning a free-kick on the edge of the area. Nick Haughton stepped up and dipped the ball inches over the bar.
The Pilgrims were keeping most of the possession in the game, looking to make the Coasters work hard, and when Danny Philliskirk was dispossessed in the middle of the park, Elliott was allowed to drive at goal, though he struck wide in the process.
The final chance of the half would fall to Tom Walker after Danny Whitehead set the ball for him to flash a right-footed strike over Dewhurst’s bar.
Half-Time: AFC Fylde 0-0 Boston United
Boston looked to apply pressure from the start of the second half when Connor Dimaio was brought down under pressure from Philliskirk to win a free-kick. Shane Byrne lifted the set-piece over the wall and forced Neal into a superb fingertip stop.
It was the away side who were on top and forcing the Coasters into some gritty defending, and Neal was forced into another unbelievable save when he sprung across his goalline to palm away a rasping Elliot strike.
Boston eventually made their pressure count with ten minutes to go as a dangerous ball into the box was turned in by Elliott at the near post.
A place in the Promotion Final was all-bit sealed for Boston when Kyle Morrison was penalised for a foul on Jake Wright Jnr, which eventually saw Elliott step up and convert past Neal.
Substitute Dobbie hoped to at least pull one back in the dying embers when he bent an effort towards the bottom corner, but Dewhurst managed to watch it past his post.
Full-Time: AFC Fylde 0-2 Boston United
AFC Fylde: Neal, Morrison, Davis, Whitmore, Walker, Conlan (68′ Burke), Philliskirk, Hatfield (39’ Whitehead), Haughton, Osborne, Taylor (88′ Dobbie).
Unused Subs: Jones, Tollitt.
Boston United: Dewhurst, Garner, Shiels, Green, Ferguson, Dimaio, Byrne, Abbott, Seriki, Massanka (59’ Wright Jnr), Elliott.
Unused subs: Duxbury, Thanoj, Sault, Preston.
