AFC Fylde fell to a late 2-1 defeat against Barnet after leading for most of the 90 at the Hive Stadium after Danny Whitehead’s opener.

Whitehead pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the area and volleyed into the bottom corner from around 30 yards.

The lead would last 80 minutes until Callum Stead arrived on the scene and levelled, striking into the bottom corner before a last-minute Nicke Kabamba header gave the hosts all three points.

Adam Murray made four changes to his side from the defeat to Woking, with Max Metcalfe, Harry Davis, Luke Charman and Danny Philliskirk replacing Theo Richardson, Connor Barrett, Luke Conlan and Jon Ustabasi.

It was a dream to start to proceedings by the Coasters when after a long punt upfield, Danny Whitehead raced on to a loose ball and smashed a volley from 30 yards into the bottom corner of the net.

Since the Coasters’ fantastic start thanks to Whitehead’s superb strike, the hosts were enjoying most of the possession, which led to Danny Collinge having time to set himself from the edge of the area but drag wide of the mark.

Adam Murray’s side were soaking up the home side’s pressure well, with the backline heading and clearing everything that fell their way so far moments before Reece Hall-Johnson ran in at the back post and forced Max Metcalfe into a good stop to his left.

When Fylde did attack, they did so with pace and intent, which presented Luke Charman with a chance in front of goal as he latched on to Gold Omotayo’s header and fired towards the far corner, but Laurie Walker got down well and clutched into his chest.

However, the Bees came again, this time, from a free-kick. Anthony Hartington set his sights towards the bottom left corner, though Max Metcalfe sprung across his line and held superbly.

Half-Time: Barnet FC 0-1 AFC Fylde

As the second half commenced, the hosts came out and looked to control the game once again, with Harry Pritchard leading the charge to cross into Nicke Kabamba, who took down nicely, but just like the rest of the night, Fylde defender brilliantly to clear.

The game hit a bit of a lull before a match-changing moment when after Siya Ligendza was flagged offside, the striker appeared not to have heard the referee’s whistle and shot at goal, with the referee Ruebyn Ricardo, whose performance was questionable all night, brandished a second yellow then red in Ligendza’s direction.

Barnet were pushing with Fylde down to ten, and the Bees’ first would have come if it wasn’t for Max Metcalfe, who dived superbly down to his right to keep out a ferocious Pritchard volley.

Pressure on the Coasters backline eventually told in the end after a loose ball fell to the feet of Callum Stead inside the area for a snapshot that travelled slowly into the bottom corner.

Despite Murray’s men defending so well over the course of the 90, the sucker punch came at the death when Nicke Kabamba rose highest to nod in from Idris Kanu’s left-sided cross.

Full-Time: Barnet FC 2-1 AFC Fylde

Barnet FC: Walker, Hall-Johnson, Collinge, Armstrong (59’ Stead), Kabamba, Kanu, Pritchard, Hartigan, Oluwo (60’ Okimo), Potter (83’ Barratt), Brunt.

Unused Subs: Gillmore, Senior.

AFC Fylde: Metcalfe, Gordon, Obi, Davis, Graham, Kay (76’ Barrett), Philliskirk, O’Kane (68’ Ustabasi), Whitehead, Charman, Omotayo (57’ Ligendza).

Unused subs: Glynn, Haughton.