AFC Fylde 1 Rochdale 3: Coasters are beaten on Boxing Day

A brace from Kairo Mitchell and a goal for Harvey Gilmour gave the visitors victory after Gavin Massey’s opener for the Coasters.

Rochdale applied plenty of pressure in the early stages of the game as Fylde keeper Ben Winterbottom was called into action on a number of occasions to cut out some dangerous crosses.

With just four minutes on the clock, it was Fylde who found the breakthrough as a corner from the right triggered a goalmouth scramble before Massey stabbed the ball home.

Mitchell proved a threat for the visitors and, having dragged an early effort wide, he made no mistake just after the quarter-hour by scrambling the ball home from a yard out to level.

Winterbottom then produced an unbelievable double save to keep the Coasters level on 25 minutes after Tyler Roberts had also produced a heroic block.

Early in the second half, Rochdale turned the game on its head as they took the lead on 56 minutes.

It was Gilmour who was on target this time, slamming home a rebound after Winterbottom had made a good initial save.

Then, shortly after the hour mark, the visitors made it three as Mitchell tapped home for his second and Dale’s third of the afternoon.

Fylde looked for a way back into the contest as Danny Ormerod sent a header off target before Nick Haughton hit a free-kick into the wall.

However, the Coasters couldn’t add to their tally and fell to a second defeat against Rochdale this season.

Next up for Kevin Phillips’ side is the New Year’s Day clash with FC Halifax Town at the Shay Stadium.

AFC Fylde: Winterbottom, Bardell (Hosannah 39), Whelan, Obi, McFayden, E Mitchell, Hugill, Haughton (O’Kane 77), Roberts, Massey (Ustabasi 62), Jolley (Ormerod 62). Subs not used: Richardson, Gamble, Riley.

Rochdale: Waller, Gordon, East (Weston 85), Gilmour, K Mitchell (Burger 89), Rodney (Henderson 82), Adebayo-Rowling, Barlow (Ayinde 69), Hogan, Okeke (Ferguson 89), Beckwith. Subs not used: Allarakhia, Dennis.

Referee: Elliott Swallow.