MURRAY’S COAST TO CHARGES VICTORY!
AFC FYLDE made a winning return to Mill Farm against Gloucester City thanks to Nick Haughton and Pierce Bird.
A happy Coasters manager Adam Murray told The NLP: “I felt we controlled the game, and I know we scored early on, but I thought in the first 20 minutes, Gloucester caused us some problems.
“We made the game a normality, and I think at this stage of the season, that’s difficult to do – I thought we were excellent.”
Haughton opened the scoring after six minutes when he curled a right-footer into the bottom corner before Bird added a second moments before the half-time interval.
Haughton looked keen to make an impact from the first whistle when he spotted Liam Armstrong off his line from kick-off to try and catch him out with an effort that eventually travelled over the bar.
That was his just first chance of three in the opening five minutes, with his next coming from a freekick after he was brought down just outside the area. He stepped up and aimed for the bottom corner but saw the shot saved well by Armstrong.
However, it was very much thirdtime lucky for Haughton when after Joe Rowley had a header punched clear, Haughton picked up the scraps and executed a lovely, curler into the bottom corner for the opener.
A frantic opening ten minutes was followed by a quiet half-hour, with Kieran Phillips having only a halfchance for the visitors, testing Chris Neal down to his right.
The Coasters did, however, make sure they went into the break strong. A clever corner, taken by Haughton, allowed Danny Philliskirk to flick into Bird, who was free at the back post for a first-time finish.
After the break, Murray’s men were straight on the attack as Connor Barrett found Rowley to run onto with only Armstrong to beat, but his strike sailed over the bar.
Gloucester had very little to offer and the visitors had Armstrong to thank when he kept the lead at just two. With Bartosz Cybulski receiving a good ball over the top of the Tigers’ defence to run on to, he was expertly kept out by Armstrong, who was out quick to smother his shot before Haughton chipped at goal, but Armstrong managed to claw away.
All afternoon the Coasters cruised through the 90 minutes, and there was one more opportunity for Fylde through Danny Whitehead after he tried his luck but drilled wide from 25 yards.