AFC Fylde 0 Kettering Town 0: Honours even at Mill Farm

Despite creating enough chances to take all three points through Nick Haughton and Tom Walker, James Rowe’s side took a point heading into the Bank Holiday Monday fixture against York City.

Rowe made just one change to his starting XI from the side which beat Boston with Danny Whitehead replacing David Perkins, who dropped to the bench.

Fylde made a bright start to proceedings at Mill Farm with a few early chances coming their way.

Firstly, Haughton and Walker combined, which allowed the latter to take aim but hit the side netting.

As Luke Conlan did well to shut out Connor Kennedy inside the 18-yard box with some fantastic defending at the other end, Walker had another opportunity to put the Coasters ahead.

He almost turned in Danny Whitehead’s cross before Whitehead struck an effort inches wide of Jackson Smith’s post.

If anyone was going to take the lead, it would be the home team as Nick Haughton tested Smith in the Kettering goal with a thumping, swerving strike from distance.

The Poppies were finding a little more joy in the final third and could have taken the lead if it hadn’t been for a great Bobby Jones save, keeping out Callum Stead’s left-footed curler to his right.

That only pushed them on further as Decarrey Sheriff tested Jones with a bouncing strike at goal, and when he spilled the ball, Alex Whitmore cleared any danger before a flurry of green shirts had a chance to follow in on the rebound.

Despite the first half having plenty of chances, the second 45 minutes didn’t follow suit.

The Coasters, however, did almost open the scoring when an opportunity arrived their way.

Haughton worked some space to feed a threaded ball through to Whitehead inside the area.

He attempted to pick out Sam Osborne at the back post, who would have been certain to score but Frank Cooper flicked the ball away with a last-ditch header.

It seemed to be turning into a game where one real clear-cut chance would take all the points.

It looked to be coming when Fylde substitute Jorome Slew burst forward two-on-one with Walker by his side.

However, as he played the wing-back in, the assistant referee’s flag went up for offside.

As the minutes ticked by, Haughton tried one last time to nick a goal at the end.

He drifted in from the left-hand side and unleashed a strike on goal, but Smith managed to scamper across his line to ensure the points were shared.

Nevertheless, the point keeps Fylde third in the table, six points clear of Kidderminster Harriers with two games of the regular season remaining.

AFC Fylde: Jones, Morrison, Davis, Whitmore, Philliskirk, Whitehead (Perkins 71), Conlan, Walker, Haughton (Dobbie 84), Osborne, Taylor (Slew 71). Subs not used: Obi, Burke.

Kettering Town: Jackson Smith, Barrett (Jack Smith 84), Brown, Johnson, Cooper, Stead (Deacon 82), Kennedy, Stohrer, Crawford, Sheriff (Sharpe 82), C Smith. Subs not used: Davies, Daly.