AFC Fylde 2 Oldham 1: Haughton double ends pre-season in style

Nick Haughton scored at the double to bring victory to James Rowe’s side with two first-half goals against the National League Latics.

One was a cute finish from a tight angle and the other a long-range strike.

But it was Oldham who took the lead in the third minute, when former Fylde forward Ben Tollitt picked the ball up on the edge of the area and curled it into the back of the net.

The Coasters were unfazed and soon put together some smart moves, which led to Haughton picking the pocket of Harrison McGahey to finish into the bottom left corner on 15 minutes.

Fylde deserved to be on terms and nearly grabbed a second when Connor Barrett’s cross struck a post off an Oldham defender before the offside flag was raised.

Haughton was looking the most likely as he lined up another shot from distance, keeper Magnus Norman holding well as the ball skidded off the wet surface.

However, Norman couldn’t deny Haughton his second as the forward cut inside and unleashed a drive into the top corner on the stroke of half-time.

The first real moment of note in the second half belonged to Chris Neal after the Fylde keeper first stopped a powerful strike from an Oldham triallist before rushing out to deny Mike Fondop-Talom on the rebound.

Looking for his third of the afternoon, Haughton fired in a free-kick he had won only for Norman to tip the shot over the bar.

Oldham, relegated in May after 115 years in the Football League and the first former Premier League club to fall into non-league, nearly drew level when Jack Stubbs' cross found the head of Junior Luamba, whose effort glanced off a post. This was a quality and the Coasters were good value for their victory.

They again went close to a third when Harvey Gregson's cross was turned inches wide by a triallist.

AFC Fylde: Neal (Simkin 70), Whitmore, Obi (Davis 70), Bird (Morrison 59), Cranston, Barrett (Osborne 34), Whitehead, Philliskirk, Haughton (Gregson 70), Rowley, Triallist (Triallist 57); Sub not used: Byrne.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​