AFC Fylde 2 Hednesford Town 0

Despite a valiant late effort from the away side to get back into the game, the Coasters won their first home game of 2015-16 to make amends for Saturday’s 3-0 reverse at Solihull Moors.

Dave Challinor’s side took the lead on 12 minutes through latest signing Finley’s first goal for the club.

After a good ball from Dion Charles down the right, Finley’s shot from 25 yards took a deflection which gave Hednesford goalkeeper Dave Parton no chance.

It took the visitors 34 minutes to fashion their first chance of the game.

After Coasters left-back Adam Sumner was booked for a late challenge of Nathan Modest, Tom Thorley floated a free-kick into the box and captain Ben Bailey headed just wide.

Fylde were largely the better team in the first half and Danny Lloyd built on his fine pre-season by doubling the lead on 41 minutes.

The striker collected the ball in the middle of the Hednesford half, then beat a defender, cut in from the right and fired past the helpless Parton. The Coasters were 2-0 up and coasting.

And they almost added a third just before the interval, when Finley won the ball back in the middle of the park and found Charles with a great ball down the right. Charles’ shot was on target but Parton saved well.

The pattern continued after the break as Charles soon got in behind the defence again and forced another good save from Parton. Josh Wilson then headed agonisingly wide from a Richie Baker corner.

Hednesford weren’t out of the game but wasted chances to pull a goal back.

Ahmed Obeng’s shot from just inside the Fylde box was deflected wide, and Tyrone Williams headed the resulting corner wide of Ben Hinchliffe’s left post.

Wilson, playing as Fylde’s lone striker, fired wide at the other end after a corner wasn’t cleared by.

The tall and powerful Marvin Robinson had the ball in the net for Hednesford but luckily for Fylde his effort was ruled out for offside. Thorley then tried his luck from 25 yards out and stung the palms of Hinchliffe.

The closest Hednesford came to scoring was when Paul Ennis hit a post from just outside the box, and moments later Nathan Modest had an effort cleared off the line.

Tyrone Williams had the final chance of the game but headed wide from a Thorley free-kick.

BEN YAFFE

Fylde: Hinchliffe, Hughes, Sumner, Langley, Hannigan, Barnes (capt), Baker, Finley (Rowe 76), Wilson, Charles, Lloyd (Bent 77); Not used: Urwin, Blinkhorn, Collins

Hednesford: Parton, Williams, James, Bailey (capt), Tilt, Thorley, Spencer (Williams 45), Modest, Robinson (Heath 73), Obeng, Digie (Ennis 45); Not used: Todd, Adams

Attendance: 355