AFC Fylde 1 Hereford 3: First defeat of year for Coasters

​Saturday's 2-0 win at Peterborough Sports had stretched the Coasters' unbeaten run in National League North to 10 games but Adam Murray's side have been knocked off the top.

Ryan McLean capitalised on a defensive mistake to give the mid-table visitors an early lead, then two quickfire goals after the break put the Bulls out of sight before Joe Rowley's late consolation.

Murray made four changes as Harvey Gregson, Harry Davis, Luke Conlan and Luke Charman came in. But Fylde fell behind in the third minute, failing to deal with a long ball as McLean nipped in to finish into an open net.

Fylde began to enjoy most of the play, Charman firing wide after Danny Whitehead won possession. But Hereford threatened, Thierry Latty-Fairweather wriggling through only to be denied by onrushing keeper Chris Neal.

The action was end-to-end as half-time approached as Whitehead's rasping shot was deflected for a corner, from which Pierce Bird went close, then a diving Neal prevented Hereford's Jack Holmes from finding the bottom corner.

After the break, a free-kick won by Charman was hammered goalwards by Tom Walker only to be batted away by keeper Dean Visser, scrambling across his line.

Hereford scored their second on 54 minutes, when Amadi-Holloway was left unmarked at a free-kick from the left and flicked the ball into the bottom corner.

Three minutes later it was three as Tyrone Barnett skipped past several white shirts and found the top corner from the edge of the area.

Conlan's strike was saved and Fylde had to wait until the 87th minute to pull one back, substitute Rowley smashing home a loose ball.

Kings Lynn Town won 1-0 at Banbury United to replace Fylde at the top on goal difference ahead of the teams' meeting at Mill Farm this Saturday. And the Coasters have another home game next Tuesday against Farsley Celtic.

Fylde: Neal, Davis, Whitmore, Bird (Cranston 58), Conlan, Gregson, Malone, Whitehead, Charman, Walker (Ligendza 58), Faal (Rowley 70); Not used: Obi, Hatfield.

Hereford: Visser, Hodgkiss, McLean, Lloyd (Pinchard 69), Amadi-Holloway, Thompson-Sommers, Hanson, Pendley, Barnett (Oppong 81), Holmes, Latty-Fairweather (Andoh 69); Not used: Klukowski, Campbell.