AFC Fylde had to settle for a share of the spoils against Brackley Town in the first ever game at their new home Mill Farm.

The visitors looked like spoiling the party when they took the lead through Lee Ndlovu, however debutant Steve Williams nicked an equaliser in the final ten minutes.

Coasters boss Dave Challinor made just one change to the side that beat Telford United on the opening day with summer signing Williams coming in for centre-half Dom Collins.

Fylde got off to a lively start when Danny Holmes broke away down the right and fired a low strike towards goal that was turned narrowly wide of the post by Brendon Daniels

Towering midfielder Bohan Dixon was presented with a brace of quick fire chances, firstly seeing his shot from 20 yards deflected around the post before hooking an effort wide from the resultant corner.

Alex Gudger responded for the visitors when he met a corner with a powerful run however he got too much on his strike and it looped over the bar.

The deadlock was broken on 15 minutes and it was in disappointing fashion for the hosts. Glenn Walker whipped in a dangerous cross to the far post and Ndlovu scrambled the ball home.

Four minutes later and the Coasters spurned a glorious chance to level. The usually reliable Danny Rowe latched onto a ball over the top, nicked it past the keeper but took a touch too many and the defender got back to heroically head off the line.

Fylde were struggling to find their feet early on at their new home and despite enjoying the lion’s share of the possession, they couldn’t create any real opening as the match reached the half-hour mark.

Perseverance from Daniels after his strike from distance was blocked earned him a second bite at the cherry but he couldn’t get enough on his header under pressure from his marker and it rolled through to the goalkeeper.

Brackley Town captain Gareth Dean went for the spectacular as the half drew to a close as his fired an ambitious volley well over Rhys Taylor’s crossbar.

Fylde looked out of sorts after the break and the visitors almost capitalised when Adam Walker latched onto a loose ball on the edge of the area and fired narrowly over the top.

The forward was presented with an even better chance a moment later when a cross from the right found him unmarked at the back post however Taylor pulled of a sensational save to prevent a second goal.

Ndlovu had sights on doubling his tally for the afternoon on the hour-mark when he broke into the Fylde box but he lashed his strike well over.

The hosts had their first real glimpse of goal in the second period when a telling cross from left-back Tom Kennedy found Rowe in the box, but after taking a touch the frontman’s volley lacked purchase.

Dixon made inroads down the right with 15 to play but no one could get a decisive touch on his inviting low cross and it drifted harmlessly out for a goalkick.

Fylde were starting to turn the screw and after goalmouth scramble, Rowe managed to get a snapshot away from eight yards that was well saved.

A well-deserved equaliser finally arrived when Daniels whipped in a typically dangerous corner from the left and Williams steamed in to head home with less than ten minutes remaining.

There was only one team searching for a winner in the dying embers of the match and Josh Langley wasn’t far off with a close-range header from Daniels’ freekick.

The elusive winning goal evaded Fylde once more as Daniels fired low at Dan Farrell in the Brackley goal. The keeper spilt his powerful effort and James Hardy was inches from connecting with the follow up.

 

AFC Fylde: Taylor, Holmes, Langley, Williams, Kennedy, Bond (C. Hughes 60), Baker (Hardy 60), Dixon (Newell 77), M. Hughes, Daniels, Rowe.

Subs not used: Collins, Blinkhorn.

Brackley: Farrell, Myles, Gudger, Byrne, Graham, Dean, Walker, Armson (Lowe 77), Ndlovu (Moyo 84), Diggin (Jeacock 84), Walker.

Subs not used: Dias, Pitt.

Ref: Marc Edwards

Att: 1,365