COASTERS COUNT ON YOUNG GUN ORMEROD

AFC Fylde boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation with a superb victory over fellow strugglers Maidenhead United, who slipped below their conquerors on goal difference.

Two goals from young gun Danny Ormerod and strikes from Jon Ustabasi and Nick Haughton took the Coasters out of sight after the Magpies had earlier equalised through Reece Smith.

“People like headlines – it was a great reaction to last week,” Fylde boss Chris Beech said, referring to the 4-0 defeat at Boreham Wood.

“We have been excellent in how we have improved on the training ground and on the pitch.

“We have picked up 33 points from our last 21 games and that is excellent.”

Maidenhead created a few early opportunities, with Sam Graham forced to clear Tristan Abrahams’ snapshot in the box before skipper Harry Davis and Max Conway blocked efforts in quick succession from Kevin Lokko and Smith.

The Magpies continued to set the pace and Charlee Adams threaded through a pass to Smith who powered an effort towards goal from the left, which Theo Richardson did superbly to turn behind for a corner.

Midway through the half, Ustabasi led a quick Coasters breakaway to give Haughton a chance, but his strike was charged down by a combination of Sam Beckwith and Lokko.

Beckwith came to Maidenhead’s rescue again minutes later, clearing

Davis’ looping header, from a set-piece, off the line.

Then, on 37 minutes, Fylde took the lead. From a Maidenhead corner, the ball was cleared to Haughton who released Ormerod, one-on-one with Craig Ross, and he calmly shot low into the bottom left-corner.

Maidenhead suffered a blow when Remy Clerima limped off injured but they were level 12 minutes into the second half when Smith ran down the left, cut inside and curled a right-footer past Richardson – the ball bouncing off a post.

Parity, however, lasted barely two minutes. Ustabasi won possession on the left and raced at speed towards goal before finishing left-footed.

Ross then saved Haughton’s dipping free-kick but the Coasters got their third goal after 77 minutes, Ormerod meeting Connor Barrett’s pinpoint right-wing cross and heading past Ross.

And with time almost up, Fylde sealed their hard-earned victory with a fourth goal – Haughton cutting inside and bending a left-foot strike through a crowd of players into the bottom-left corner.

Maidenhead assistant boss Ryan Peters said: “We could not get into our groove and once they scored we didn’t have the edge.

“The pitch is very heavy, but I am not making any excuses for our performance. We are going to have work very hard next week.” STAR MAN: Danny Ormerod (AFC Fylde) ATT: 1,181 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: David Richardson