After the fixture had been rearranged due to a frozen pitch the previous weekend, the Coasters travelled to the Davisons Laws Arena in Solihull for their first-ever meeting with the Moors Women.

 

On a bitterly cold afternoon, both teams played with high energy and offered plenty of entertainment in front of a record home crowd. Tom Blaymires’s Moors side competed well and showed a fearless determination to take the game to their opponents.

 

After weathering the early pressure, Fylde raced into a commanding lead with a hat-trick from Faye McCoy and a headed goal from Jenna Carroll.

 

At the start of the second half, the Moors worked their way back into the tie with two quick-fire goals, only to see the Coasters extinguish any hope of an unlikely comeback when Amy Hughes added a fifth goal minutes later to put the game out of reach.

 

In the opening exchanges, the Coasters enjoyed the lion’s share of the possession and quickly adapted to the artificial pitch.

 

The visitors made the breakthrough in the 28th minute when McCoy dribbled past two defenders in the penalty area before being brought down by a clumsy challenge. McCoy dusted herself down and slammed home the spot-kick, leaving Moors goalkeeper Harley Savage with no chance. 

 

Barely minutes later, McCoy doubled Fylde’s lead with a sublime strike from just outside the area. After showing neat control, McCoy produced a right-footed finish into the top corner of the net.

 

A third goal swiftly followed in the 37th minute when McCoy completed her hat-trick. Taking aim from a direct free-kick, McCoy fired an unstoppable shot into the roof of the Moors net.

 

With half-time approaching, Fylde scored their fourth goal from a well-worked corner routine. Laura Merrin swung in an enticing cross that Jenna Carroll headed in from close range. 

 

 

The hosts started the second half on the front foot and were soon rewarded when Lyndsey Ross-Baker pulled a goal back in the 46th minute. 

 

From Ellie Bruton’s corner kick, Moors captain Zoe Creaney saw her header cleared off the line before Ross-Baker pounced to convert the rebound from six yards out.

 

In the 49th minute, Moors defender Shannon McFadden then halved the deficit when she raced onto a cross and steered a half-volley into the bottom corner.

 

With the momentum firmly with the home side, the Coasters then delivered a sucker punch to extend their lead in the 53rd minute. Caz Fields played a delightful pass to Amy Hughes, who broke forward and scored the fifth goal in clinical fashion.

 

Fylde were re-energized by the introduction of Iszy Binks and Kelsey Pearson past the hour mark. The substitutes helped the Coasters to maintain possession and play out the remainder of the game without conceding any further goals.

 

The Coasters have set up a Fourth Round Proper tie against Aston Villa Women, which will be played at the Poundland Bescot Stadium in Walsall over the final weekend of January 2023.

 

AFC Fylde Women: Hunter, Fryer (77′ Pearson), Carroll, Young, Merrin, Forster, Rowe, Hollinshead, McCoy, Fields (66′ Binks), Hughes

 

Unused substitute: Hignett.