HIGH HOPES AT COASTERS
Plenty of positives despite defeat
AHIT and Hope three minutes from time ensured Carlisle United ran away with the spoils and left AFC Fylde frustrated at Mill Farm.
A deflected 25-yard effort from Bluebirds’ Hallam Hope proved the difference between the two sides but Coasters boss Dave Challinor will take plenty of positives from a hard-fought game against their visitors from League Two.
Leaving top scorer Danny Rowe and new signing Ryan Croasdale on the bench, Challinor saw his side gradually grow into the game with the dangerous Serhat Tasdemir going closest to breaking the deadlock after a mesmeric run took him past three Carlisle players but his shot drifted inches wide of the far post.
Tasdemir also forced Carlisle keeper Joe Fryer into a decent save with a powerful 25-yard effort, while the visitors too tested Jay Lynch at the other through Hope and Jamie Devitt.
Hope then stung the fingertips of Lynch at the restart but Fylde were always in the game with each of the four trialists on show giving boss Challinor food for thought.
Rowe went close to firing the Coasters in front on 79 minutes when he twisted and turned inside his marker and let fly from 18 yards but his shot cannoned back off the crossbar to safety.
Then, with five minutes left, Rowe went close again with a stinging free-kick which flashed just wide of the bottom right corner.
But Fylde were made to pay for their near misses two minutes later when Hope cleverly skipped past his marker 25 yards out and his effort looped over a stranded Lynch off the heels of a Fylde defender. STAR MAN: Serhat Tasdemir (AFC Fylde) ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★