AFC Fylde have won promotion to the Conference North courtesy of a hard-fought win over Ashton United on penalties thanks to goalkeeper Ben Hinchliffe scoring the winning penalty to send The Coasters up!

In a nail-biting game, Ashton took an early lead through Marting Pilkington’s strike before Fylde saw no less than three efforts cleared off the visitor’s line before Sean Cooke struck a well-worked equaliser with 20 minutes to go.

Cooke then almost won the game with an audacious 30-yard lob, seeing Ashton keeper Paul Phillips off his line, but his shot bounced off the underside of the crossbar and back into Phillips’ arms.

Into extra time and there was still no winner from either side and after Adam Sumner missed Fylde’s first penalty, Richie Allen, Danny Lloyd then Cooke brought Fylde level at 3-3 after five penalties for Ashton and four for The Coasters, which allowed Hinchliffe to smash home the winner with the last kick of the shoot-out.

Well done to every one of the players who have worked so hard all through the season to get us where we are.

2022 – STOP US IF YOU CAN!!

Full report to follow…