AFC Fylde 1 Peterborough Sports 0: Late strike gives Coasters three points

In a game that saw both sides cancel each other out, Danny Rowe scored the game’s only goal by catching out keeper Peter Crook with a fierce, long-range effort on 84 minutes.

Andy Taylor made four changes to the Fylde team defeated at Hereford on Tuesday night, with Harvey Gregson, Pierce Bird, Joe Rowley and Rowe replacing Harry Davis, Connor Barrett, Tom Walker and Danny Philliskirk.

It was a frantic start to proceedings at Mill Farm as both sides had opportunities in the opening five minutes.

Peterborough’s Mark Jones almost found the opener when he met a header at the back post, but the ball went to Fylde keeper Chris Neal who gathered at the last second.

At the other end, a long ball upfield allowed Luke Charman to flick it away from his man but the visitors cleared as he attempted to find Rowley.

Two more opportunities came in quick succession, the first when the visitors’ Spencer Keller was set free down the left but his cross towards Dion Semble-Ferris was hooked away by Luke Conlan.

Almost instantly, Charman raced up the pitch and cut inside before forcing Crook into palming away his shot.

Fylde grew into the game more as the half progressed, leading to Nick Haughton picking out Rowley at the back post but an awkward bounce meant the midfielder put his effort wide.

The Coasters’ best move of the game arrived moments before the interval, starting when Bird clipped a 30-yard ball to Conlan.

He found Rowe inside the 18-yard box, where he created a first-time opportunity for Danny Whitehead but his powerful effort was kept out by Crook.

The Coasters were a lot brighter in their approach after the interval with Haughton the first to try his luck.

He turned on a sixpence and left two visiting players for dead before taking a touch and blasting over the bar.

Taylor’s players almost found the opener when Haughton’s cross was sliced into his keeper’s hands by Peterborough’s Matty Fryatt.

Rowe was then able to cut back onto his left foot before zipping an effort inches wide.

The visitors eventually had a half-chance of their own when Connor Kennedy picked up a loose ball on the edge of the area before shifting it but only finding the back of the South Stand.

Keller was then left wondering how he didn’t score the game’s opening goal when he was left free at the back post.

He was met by a retreating Walker, who did superbly to force the midfielder into finding the side netting.

With the game looking as if it would finish in a goalless draw, up popped Rowe with a trademark finish.

Some wonderful one-touch passing between Haughton and Whitehead gave the latter a chance to find Rowe, who turned and rattled one in from 35 yards out.

AFC Fylde: Neal, Gregson (Walker 57), Whitmore, Bird, Conlan, Weston, Whitehead (Hatfield 88), Haughton, Rowley (Davis 46), Charman, Rowe. Not used: Obi, Ligendza.

Peterborough Sports: Crook, Doorbar-Baptiste (Kaba-Sherif 52), Bazeley, Fryatt, Johnson, Lawlor, Semble-Ferris, Kennedy, McCammon (Hilliard 82), Keller, M Jones (Gash 61). Not used: R Jones, Sani.