Two goals from Dion Charles helped AFC Fylde to an emphatic 4-0 victory away at Stockport County.

Coasters captain Tom Hannigan headed the visitors into an early lead before Charles netted a quick-fire double shortly after the break.

Danny Rowe secured the points with eight minutes to play when he fired home emphatically to move Fylde level on points with second-placed North Ferriby United.

Dave Challinor named the same team that lined up against Bradford Park Avenue three days ago.

Fylde kicked off the match on the front foot and James Hardy broke into the box but his effort was blocked and Sam Finley was well over with his follow up attempt from 25 yards.

Brad Barnes was next to try his luck from distance but his strike was deflected around the post and the resultant corner brought about the opening goal. Hardy whipped the ball in and there was captain Hannigan to head home from close range.

The visitors were inches away from doubling the lead moments later but Matty Hughes’ fierce drive from 10 yards was charged down by the Stockport defence.

Fylde really were the side in the ascendancy and Charles was close to turning home Finley’s first time effort at the back post shortly before the 15 minute mark.

John Marsden fashioned the host’s first real opportunity when he unleashed a vicious volley from 20 yards that flew narrowly wide of the right post.

The Coasters continued to push for a second and Rowe stung the palms of Dean Henderson when he cut in from the left a smashed a powerful effort at the Stockport stopper.

Charles almost put Fylde further ahead on 28 minutes but his side-footed strike from the right of the area was just the wrong side of the post and nestled into the side netting.

The visitors had the ball in the net four minutes later when Rowe tucked away Finley’s cute through-ball but the linesman’s flag came to County’s rescue.

Fylde finished the half strongly however the second goal was proving elusive as the match reached the halfway point.

That soon changed just six minutes after the restart and Fylde deservedly doubled their advantage. Charles cut in from the right and curled a sublime left-footed strike into the far top corner of the goal.

Just four minutes later and it was three. A misplaced header from Paul Connolly caught out Henderson in the Stockport goal, Rowe raced through and hit the post from a tight angle and Charles gleefully lapped up the rebound.

The Coasters were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position 20 yards from goal but Rowe fired the kick straight into the Stockport wall as the visitors searched for a fourth goal.

The game was becoming an increasingly one-sided affair with the Coasters knocking the ball around to a chorus of cheers from the travelling fans.

Top scorer Rowe got himself in on the act with around ten minutes to play when he beat his man on the edge of the box and made space to fire home a low left-footed strike into the far corner.

Stockport created a rare opportunity of their own moments later when full-back Marcus Poscha found himself in space at the back post but Ben Hinchliffe was quickly out to smother.

Fylde saw out the closing stages with ease as they extended the unbeaten run to six in the National League North.

 

Stockport: Henderson, Poscha, Roberts, Ellison, O’Hanlon, Connolly (78), Wilson, Field (55), Brodie (73), Marsden, Anoura.

Subs: Todd (78), Smith, Grimshaw, West (55), Odejayi (73).

AFC Fylde: Hinchliffe, C. Hughes, Langley, Hannigan, Sumner, Barnes, Finley, Hardy, Charles (73), M. Hughes (83), Rowe.

Subs: Urwin, Collins, Crainey, Dudley (83), Lloyd (73).

 

Att: 3,399

Ref: David Richardson