AFC Fylde 2 Hartlepool United 1: Coasters out of relegation zone

All three goals came in the first 20 minutes as Gavin Massey and Charlie Jolley sealed victory after the Coasters had fallen behind early.

The visitors took the lead in only the fourth minute with a fantastic free-kick, David Ferguson curling the ball around goalkeeper Ben Winterbottom and into the net via a post.

It didn’t take the Coasters long to respond. A bold attempt from outside the box by Massey squirmed past Pools keeper Adam Smith and found the back of the net in the 12th minute.

Another free-kick was awarded to the visitors in a dangerous position 25 yards out but this time Ferguson’s effort was tipped over by Winterbottom.

Fylde continued to gain momentum and an excellent move ended with Jolley finding space in the box to slam the ball home for his seventh league goal of the campaign.

The home side maintained their lead until half-time thanks to Winterbottom making two outstanding saves from point-blank range to deny the former Blackpool striker Gary Madine.

For the first of these, the Brentford loanee recovered from being bundled over to thwart Madine and keep Fylde ahead.

After half-time, the visitors slowly gained traction but excellent blocks by Harry Davis, whose equaliser earned Fylde a point at Gateshead on Saturday, and Corey Whelan kept the hosts’ noses in front.

Nick Haughton tried his luck with a free-kick which struck the wall as Fylde pushed for a third.

There were eight additional minutes as Fylde held on in the closing stages.

But the defence dug deep and the Coasters made it seven points from a possible nine under interim bosses David Longwell and Chris Neal.

The win lifted Fylde above Maidenhead United and Wealdstone, leaving them a point clear of the bottom four ahead of another home game against Braintree Town on Saturday.

Fylde: Winterbottom, Bardell, Davis, Whelan, McFayden, Mitchell, Haughton, Riley, Hugill (Roberts 63), Massey (Adom 63), Jolley (Boatswain 77); Not used: Clark, Obi, Long, Morris,