AFC Fylde 3-2 Wrexham
Rowe 28, Bradley 59, Haughton 68 – Lawlor 8, Oswell 45+2
AFC Fylde recorded their first back-to-back wins of the season, as second half goals from substitutes Bradley and Haughton helped the Coasters come from behind to win.
Wrexham, despite not being in a great run of form, started the stronger of the two sides, and were the team to open the scoring.
In many senses, the goal would have been deja vu from Saturday, as a free-kick from a wide position was the Coasters undoing.
The delivery wasn’t dealt with, and Jake Lawlor was there to lash home beyond Dan Lavercombe, and with it, give the visitors the lead.
The first half wasn’t one of many clear cut chances and with both teams lining up with a back three. the systems matched each other up well.
Williams tried to replicate Saturday’s theatrics with a couple of long-range efforts but it was in fact an effort from inside the box that saw the Coasters draw level.
Danny Rowe and Kurt Willoughby were hot on the heels of a backless to Christian Dibble and forced a mistake, with Rowe picking the ball off of the keeper’s toes.
The striker composed himself, before firing a thunderous drive into the roof of the net, and drawing the game level.
The goal was Rowe’s first since the Coasters visit to the Shay, and his fourth of the season.
With the game looking as if it would go into the interval delicately poised, an uncharacteristic error from Neill Byrne afforded Wrexham the chance to take the lead.
Oswell was found unmarked from inside the box, and made no mistake, dispatching low past Lavercombe, to give the Dragons a 2-1 lead at the break.
Second Half
AFC Fylde Manager Dave Challinor had seen enough at the break, and forced two changes – with Nick Haughton and Dan Bradley replacing Alex Whitmore and Kurt Willoughby.
The effect was almost instantaneous, with Dan Bradley finding Danny Rowe twenty yards from goal – however the striker curled his effort just wide of the post.
It didn’t take long after this for Bradley to go one better though, and after driving through the middle fired a snapshot goalwards.
Despite the shot being central, it managed to get the better of Dibble, with the ball creeping past the Wrexham goalkeeper, and bringing Fylde level.
Bradley was a man in confidence, and following his goal in front of the BT Sport cameras on the weekend, has the bit between his teeth.
Rowe played a perfectly weighted ball over the top of the defence, and with Bradley bearing down on goal, it seemed destined to be 3-2.
However, on this occasion, Dibble stayed strong, and denied Bradley’s right footed effort from close range.
This didn’t deter Fylde though, and Challinor’s other substitute Nick Haughton was the next to step up to the plate.
With the ball slid into Haughton 25 yards from goal, the attacker swivelled before unleashing a fantastic curled effort into the top corner.
Dibble got a slight hand to it, but he couldn’t keep out the exquisite strike, and the Coasters had turned the game on its head.
Fylde weren’t happy to sit back and try and see out the game however, and just ten minutes later, Neill Byrne saw his header cleared off of the line, in an effort which would have put the game to bed.
Haughton again came close to finding the net, bobbing and weaving beyond two before curling an effort goal wards – but Dibble made a strong double-handed save to deny him.
A late onslaught from the visitors was all too little too late, and the Coasters were able to comfortably see out the victory – and with it, their first back-to-back wins of the season.
Teams
AFC Fylde: Lavercombe, Duxbury, Byrne, Jameson, Whitmore (Haughton 45’), Forbes, Croasdale, Philliskirk, Rowe, Williams, Willoughby (Bradley 45’).
Subs unused: Montgomery, Yeates, Ngwatala
Wrexham: Dibble, Barnumb-Bobb, Jennings, Pearson, Lawlor, Summerfield, Young, Redmond, Oswell, Chambers, Harris.
Subs: Szczepaniak, Grant, Carrington, Rutherfor, Mcintosh.
