AFC Fylde tasted victory over Boston United on Tuesday night with a superb 4-1 win in the National League North under the lights at Mill Farm.
Close to the interval, the Coasters opened the scoring and took the lead through Luke Conlan when, after being unlucky with a header, he followed it up and turned in for his and Fylde’s first of the game.
Danny Whitehead was next to get his name on the scoresheet when he slotted in from Nick Haughton’s deflected effort before Conlan grabbed a brace, turning in from close range, despite Sam McLintock pulling one back for the visitors.
Siya Ligendza, who put in a tremendous shift, put the finishing touches to the result after Conlan was denied a hat-trick by the woodwork, with the Welshman smashing in a fourth and his first league goal.
Adam Murray made four changes from the side that secured victory over Colne FC, with Alex Whitmore, Curtis Weston, Nick Haughton & Connor Barrett replacing Harry Davis, Emeka Obi, Keenan Patten & Joe Rowley.
The first bit of real attacking play came for the visitors when Scott Pollock had the ball out wide to whip a teasing cross towards Jake Wright sliding in at the back post, who couldn’t quite make any contact to direct goalwards.
Fylde’s first opportunity came after Nick Haughton was fouled by Scott Pollock following nice link-up play with Danny Whitehead. Haughton stepped up to the free-kick and fired inches wide of the post.
With chances at a premium so far, Haughton managed to pick out Alex Whitmore with an out-swinging corner, whose headed effort was cleared off the line at the last second before Curtis Weston cutback for Luke Conlan on the edge of the area, moments later, but his timid effort rolled into the gloves of Sam Long.
No side was to get a real grip of the tie, but Boston were allowed to venture forward through Sam McLintock, and with space opening up around 25 yards from goal, Chris Neal watched the strike drift wide.
However, the breakthrough was to come for the Coasters when Whitehead worked space to swing a terrific cross into an unmarked Conlan, whose initial header was well-saved by Long in the Boston goal before he turned in at the second time of asking.
Half-Time: AFC Fylde 1-0 Boston United
Adam Murray’s side almost made a dream start to the second half when a cross into the area fell to the feet of Siya Ligendza, who couldn’t quite set himself before Long rushed out to deny him.
A second wasn’t far away, though, when an Alex Whitmore header set the Coasters on the press, and that led to Haughton driving forward to shoot before seeing the effort deflect into the path of Whitehead, who slotted in from close range.
Murray’s men were left on their toes minutes later when Jordan Crawford crept behind Conlan to take one touch and pick McLintock out at the back post for a first-time finish into an empty net.
Siya Ligendza was causing all sorts of problems, and after he was brought down out wide, Haughton was able to cut inside on his right foot and curl ferociously towards the top corner, which Long was equal to at full stretch.
The goal that Boston scored didn’t knock Fylde out of their stride too much when Conlan grabbed his second of the game.
After a deflected cross from the right fell to the feet of Whitehead, whose volley at goal looked as though it would be collected by Long, Conlan arrived at the last minute and poked home to claim his second of the game.
Fylde were well worthy of the three points, especially with their second-half performance, and the victory was sealed after Conlan was denied his hat-trick by the post before Ligendza was there on the follow-up to turn in.
Full-Time: AFC Fylde 4-1 Boston United
AFC Fylde: Neal, Whitmore, Bird, Conlan, Burke (86’ Obi), Barrett (80’ Hatfield), Philliskirk, Weston, Whitehead, Haughton (86’ Rowley), Ligendza.
Unused subs: Cranston, Patten.
Boston United: Long, Platt, Mbeka, Pollock, Wright, Ferguson, Pollock (69’ Atkinson), Gordon (55’ Crawford), McLintock, Cummings, Nixon.
Unused Subs: Davies, Brown, Solanke.