AFC Fylde took all three points from Halifax at The Shay, as Tyler Roberts and Nick Haughton ended Halifax’s seven game unbeaten run.
The start of the game saw both sides enjoy their share of possession. Fylde’s Nick Haughton forced an early save out of Town captain Sam Johnson. The attacker was found in the box by Gavin Massey, whose sweeping cross was controlled by Haughton, and was able to have a shot close from range. His effort was saved by the feet of Johnson and the danger was evaded.
A good chance for Town came when Scott High carried the ball into the attacking third, following from a fantastic turn, which gave him the license to drive into attacking space. High then played Angelo Cappello down the left hand side, who fired a ball into the edge of the area to find Luca Thomas, whose first time shot sailed over the crossbar.
The home side were found trailing in the 23rd minute after Tyler Roberts’ chipped effort sailed into the back of the Town net. The chance followed from an advantage that was given against Town after Adam Adetoro fouled Roberts as he ran towards goal. Using the advantage, Roberts drove into the box, but was pushed out to the right hand side after being pressured by Jack Evans. Despite the defensive efforts, the winger gained his side the lead after his lobbed shot beat Evans and Johnson to find the back of the net.
Fylde enjoyed attacking spells in the first half, following The Coasters taking the lead. An attacking threat came when Bryce Joseph Hosannah crossed a ball from the right into the box, for goal scorer Roberts. The attacker headed the ball on target, but his chance was safely handled by the Town keeper.
Town were also keeping Fylde keeper, Ben Winterbottom, entertained at the other end of the pitch. Cooke received the ball on the half way line and played Capello down the left hand side.
Cappello’s cross into the box, fell to the feet of Thomas and, with great composure, he managed to get a shot off down the left side of the goal, and forced a diving save out of Winterbottom.
Town were awarded a penalty in the 37th minute after Cappello was fouled in the box by Tyler Roberts. The goalscorer attempted to intercept the ball being laid off for Cappello but the winger was too late to the challenge and took out the Town attacker in the process.
The penalty was converted by Jamie Cooke, who made it his 5th goal this season, and has scored in back-to-back games, after scoring his wonder goal against Ebbsfleet at the weekend.
Just before the interval, Thomas found himself in space and took a chance from distance. His dangerous effort looked destined to soar into the top right corner, but was intervened by a full-stretched save from Winterbottom.
Town found themselves in early trouble in the second half, when Massey was played into the box and managed to geta a shot away. His close-range effort was courageously blocked by Adetoro, but the Town defence failed to diffuse the situation immediately. Evans picked up the ball in the area and looked to clear it out of danger, but was intercepted by Roberts. Once he made contact with Evans, Roberts fell to the floor in the box but fortunately for the Town, the attacker was booked for diving and the home side were awarded a free kick.
Fylde found the back of the net for the second time this evening in the 55th minute. The Coasters gained their lead back after the referee awarded the away side a penalty, following from a defensive altercation from Tom Pugh, whose challenge against Massey was enough to see Fylde be given a penalty. Haughton stepped up for the penalty and doubled Fylde’s lead.
Now chasing the lead, Town found themselves chipping away at the Fylde defence. A great chance came for the Shaymen when Cappello picked up the ball in the box and continued his run down the left hand side. Cappello, at great speed, managed to whip a cross into the box, but his ball just sailed over the head of Jamie Cooke, who awaited in a very promising goalscoring position.
Another chance came for the Town at the hands of Cappello again. The attacker took the ball down the left wing and crossed an over-arching ball into the box, aimed towards substitute Zac Emmerson. The ball was trapped well by Emmerson and the attacker took a shot on target towards Winterbottom, but the newly subbed man saw his effort saved by the keeper.
Town, desperately aiming to equalise, were very attacking going into the final 15 minutes. Cappello picked the ball up on the half way line, after Emmerson was dispossessed. The Shayman darted down the left hand side and worked his way into the box, to get a shot away. His shot flew across the goalmouth, but Winterbottom managed to geta a hand to the low-driven effort, which saw the ball smash against the far post. Owen Bray followed up with a rebounded chance, but his effort was deflected out of play.
A late chance by The Town came just on the stroke of injury time, after a corner was delivered into the box. Adam Senior greeted the ball with a shot but his effort was scooped into the hands of Winterbottom, as the keeper performed a goal line save.
Towards the death of injury time, Emmerson was played into the box by Jenkins, and was through on goal. Town fans at The Shay thought they had found the equaliser but the striker’s effort was saved again by Winterbottom. The corner that followed, saw Town goalkeeper, Johnson, join the attacking efforts, in an attempt to salvage a point. It was almost a fairytale end to the game as Johnson managed to get a header off, but his effort was wayward of the woodwork.
Halifax look towards this weekend, for their next fixture, on the road to Tamworth, who beat Wealdstone this evening 1-0 at the Grosvenor Vale.FC Halifax Town
1 Sam Johnson ©, 5 Adam Senior, 15 Will Smith, 27 Adam Adetoro [Zak Emmerson 67], 3 Ryan Galvin, 30 Scott High, 6 Jack Evans, 23 Tom Pugh [Owen Bray 56], 10 Jamie Cooke, 9 Luca Thomas [Max Wright 56], 11 Angelo Cappello [Jack Jenkins 90+3]
Subs: 12 Nathaniel Ford, 2 Jo Cummings, 14 Harvey Sutcliffe
AFC Fylde
31 Ben Winterbottom, 4 Harry Davis, 7 Charlie Tolley, 8 Ethan Mitchell, 10 Nick Haughton [Will Hugill 75], 17 Corey Whelan, 18 Lincoln McFayden, 20 Gavin Massey [Danny Ormerod 83], 21 Tyler Roberts, 23 Bryce Hosannah [Max Bardell 76], 40 Joe Riley
Subs: 5 Emeka Obi, 6 Adam Long, 30 Tom Tweedy, 34 Taelor O’Kane
Referee: Steven Copeland
Goals: Roberts 23, Cooke 39 [Pen], Haughton 55 [Pen]
Yellow Cards: Adetoro 24, Roberts 50, Mitchell 80, Evans 88, Winterbottom 90+4, Tolley 90+7
Red Cards:
Attendance: 1203 [51]
FC Halifax Town 1 AFC Fylde 2
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