AFC Fylde returned to winning ways against Boston United in the National League North, with a first-half Luke Charman goal proving the difference.
Despite a little early pressure from the home side, Fylde eventually stamped their mark on the game when Charman slammed home from close range.
After Nick Haughton wriggled out of a tight area calmly, he switched play to Dan Pike in acres of space, who swung a cross to the back post for Charman to smash into the roof of the net.
Adam Murray made three changes from the Easter Monday defeat to Kidderminster Harriers, with Dan Pike, Danny Whitehead & Luke Charman replacing Connor Barrett, Will Hatfield & Bartosz Cybulski.
Boston came out in the opening five minutes and looked to stamp their authority on the game by playing on the front foot with confidence.
Though it was the Coasters who had the first chance on goal after eight minutes when a fantastic ball from Danny Whitehead found Charman over the top of the Boston defence, but as he ventured towards goal, Cameron Gregory was out quickly to deny him.
Once Murray’s side had settled into proceedings, the first goal of the game arrived. Haughton managed to wriggle out of a tight space and switch play to Dan Pike, who took one touch and picked out Charman for a first-time finish into the roof of the net.
The Coasters fancied themselves after the goal, and that led to Emeka Obi finding himself in unfamiliar territory, striking at goal from distance, which forced Gregory into a fingertip stop.
Despite the Coasters looking comfortable, Boston carried a threat in the opening 25 minutes when Sam McLintock picked up a loose ball and sent a low-driven strike wide of Neal’s right post.
There were plenty of chances so far in the game, but when the Coasters did go forward, they looked dangerous.
This time, Haughton stepped up to a free-kick, and whilst it looked to have been nestling into the back of the net, Gregory sprung across his line and produced a good stop.
Half-Time: Boston United 0-1 AFC Fylde
Straight after the restart, the Coasters produced some scintillating stuff when Haughton played a quick pass into Charman, who chested down, laid it back to the number 10 for a pass to Luke Conlan for him to skid one off the surface and inches wide of the post.
Luke Charman was playing with real freedom on the JCS pitch, which saw him burst down the left and feed Haughton in the centre of the pitch, who took one touch and struck into the gloves of Gregory.
Since the goal in the first half, Fylde were dominant in their play, and Charman was putting in the work to win a free-kick right on the edge of the box, which Haughton stepped up to but sent a whisker wide of the post.
As the minutes ticked down, the Coasters were professional in their work – battling and fighting for every ball and watching the clock tick down to take all three points back to the Fylde Coast.
Full-Time: Boston United 0-1 AFC Fylde
Boston United: Gregory, Platt, Shiels, Burrow, Ferguson (80’ Wright), Atkinson (65’ Hasani), Pollock, Chadwick, McLintock (75’ Thorndike), Mills, Nixon.
Unused subs: Mitford, Cummings.
AFC Fylde: Neal, Obi, Whitmore, Davis, Conlan, Barrett, Philliskirk (58’ Hatfield), Whitehead, Haughton (82’ Delfouneso), Rowley, Charman.
Unused Subs: Barrett, Walker, Cybulski.