The Coasters remain top of the Vanarama Conference North thanks to a sparkling display of attacking football which saw record goal scorer Richie Allen become the first Fylde player to reach a century of goals for the club.

In a game which epitomised why Fylde were unbeaten at home and leading scorers in the league Allen opened the scoring with a fine strike inside eight minutes before adding his second, and 100^th for the club, seven minutes from time to cap off what was another fantastic performance from AFC Fylde.

Between those two goals Josh Langley bagged his first goal for the club before Michael Barnes ensured Fylde led 3-0 at the break with a brilliant solo goal of his own.

Worcester had no answer to a determined and solid Fylde side and with their main target-man Mike Symons out injured they struggled to create anything going forward – the main reason why they have failed to score away from home all season.

However, it was City’s Ellis Deeney who had the first effort on target and Ben Hinchliffe had to be at full stretch to turn his 35 yard strike around the post in the fifth minute.

But Fylde regrouped from that brief lack of concentration and within three minutes had the lead. Allen beat two players on the left before cutting inside, beating another and unleashing a shot that sailed under goalkeeper Nathan Vaughan.

Graham Hutchinson should have equalised two minutes later for the visitors but he directed Deeney’s free kick over the bar with his head.

Liam Tomsett was very unlucky to not double Fylde’s lead on 11 minutes when he headed Dave Hankin’s excellent cross inches wide of the post.

Then Danny Rowe hit a vicious shot against the upright which cannoned off the back of Vaughan’s head and behind for a corner. And when the resulting corner wasn’t dealt with that allowed centre back Josh Langley to blast the ball into the roof of Worcester’s net for Fylde’s second.

Fylde continued to dominate proceedings and were unlucky not to find a third earlier than they did when Tom Hannigan headed two decent chances over and wide by the half hour mark.

Between those efforts the unlucky Hankin, who was making only his first start this season back in for Caspar Hughes who had picked up a knock himself in the previous match, had to be taken off after aggravating his previous injury, meaning Luke Denson was brought on in a straight swap after just half an hour.

But the third finally came from a wonderful solo run from Barnes. The winger picked the ball up on the right, cut inside to the edge of the box and fired low into the right corner past the outstretched Vaughan seven minutes before the break.

Worcester made a double substitution at the break to try and stop the Fylde juggernaut and for most of the half it worked. Steven Leslie and Sean Geddes made way for Jacob Rowe and David McDermott and they were able to steady the ship in midfield alongside full back Tyler Weir who pulled the strings when pushing forward.

Michael Potts tested the reflexes of Vaughan early in the second period as he was desperate to get his name on the score sheet. His first attempt was straight at the visiting keeper but three minutes later he was extremely unlucky not to find the back of the net.

Seeing Vaughan stood on the edge of his box he chipped the ball from all of 50 yards and it seemed to take an age to come down as everyone in the crowd watched it agonisingly hit the top of the crossbar and go over for a goal kick.

Worcester began a brief spell of searching for a consolation and Weir had their best chance on 68 minutes beating Langley to fashion an excellent strike from the edge of the box which was heading for the top right corner, but Hinchliffe had other ideas as he dived full stretch to tip the effort over the bar.

Danny Lloyd replaced goal scorer Barnes just before that effort and he almost added one of his own firing a blistering left-footed strike towards goal which Vaughan couldn’t keep hold of.

Deeney and McDonald were unlucky not to get more from their chances late on but the icing on the cake came on 83 minutes when Allen fired home his second of the game and 100^th in a Fylde shirt.

But following that set-back, Worcester still tried to find some consolation but Wayne Thomas and Hutchinson’s headers were wayward.

Allen was unlucky not to end the game with a hat-trick in injury time when he deflected Lloyd’s low cross wide of the post when it looked easier to score.

Fylde boss Dave Challinor was full of praise for his side at full time saying: “We played well today. We knew it was important to start the game well and to be three up at half time we were delighted with that.

“We knew Worcester would come and make it difficult for us and we’ve obviously got a decent record in the fact that we have scored a lot of goals so to start like that was important because it then asked them a question of whether they would come out and play against us or whether they sit in and continue to make it difficult.

“The pleasing thing was we came out for the second half and continued where we left off, not conceding which is great.” He added. “I suppose the difficult thing is to keep doing the right thing when the game is fundamentally won.

“People might be disappointed that we didn’t go on and get five or six or whatever but you’ve got to give the opposition credit in that they kept going, they were honest and went for as long as they could before Richie put the icing on the cake for a great day.”

The Coasters can enjoy a break from league action next week as they travel to Bradford Park Avenue for an FA Cup Second Round Qualifying tie next Saturday – kick off 3pm.

AFC Fylde: Hinchliffe, Hankin (Denson 31), Sumner, Langley, Hannigan, B. Barnes (C), Tomsett, Potts, Rowe (Booth 74), M. Barnes (Lloyd 64), Allen; Subs not used: Dootson (GK), Charles.
GOALS: Richie Allen (8, 83), Josh Langley (16), Michael Barnes (38)

Worcester City: Vaughan, Williams, Weir, Hutchinson, Thomas, Jackman, Nti (Udoh 75), Deeney (C), Leslie (Rowe 46), Geddes (McDermott 46), Gudger; Subs not used: Wright, Veiga (GK).

HT: 3-0
ATT: 434
MOM: Richie Allen