AFC Fylde 2 Longridge 1: Luke Burke completes Coasters comeback

Joe Melling gave the North West Counties League premier division side the lead after half an hour, then Alex Whitmore quickly equalised and Luke Burke netted the winner.

After a quiet opening, the first chance fell to Fylde’s Junior Mondal, who volleyed wide at the far post. Longridge immediately had a chance of their own as Owen Watkinson found space to shoot but keeper Max Johnstone was firmly behind his shot.

Fylde created half-chances before the visitors took the lead, Melling collecting Watkinson’s pass in the area and keeping his composure to slot the ball past Johnstone.

Fylde were level within moments as a deep corner was nodded back across goal and Whitmore leapt highest to head home from close range.

The game again took a while to spring into life after half-time, then Longridge’s Harvey Macadam was denied by Johnstone one-on-one.

The Coasters started to ramp up the pressure and Town’s Ryan Schofield twice threw his body on the line to make goalsaving blocks.

Fylde scored the winner with 20 minutes left, when a cross from the left found its way through keeper Lee Dovey’s gloves and Burke had time to take a touch before bundling the ball into the net from close range.

Johnstone again denied Longridge, punching clear from Jack Anderton’s cross.

And Fylde almost added a late third when a trialist striker was released behind the defence but was twice denied by Dovey.

Fylde: Johnstone, Burke, Whitmore, Burn, Philliskirk, Monday, Haughton, Burges, three trialists; subs: Neal, Perkins, Green, Tollitt, Stanley, Trailist