AFC Fylde 3 King's Lynn Town 3: Top two cannot be separated

It was a game that saw the Linnets fight back from 3-1 down to earn a point against a Fylde side showing five changes from the team beaten by Hereford in midweek.

Emeka Obi, Jordan Cranston, Connor Barrett, Danny Philliskirk and Nick Haughton all came in, replacing Pierce Bird, Harry Davis, Harvey Gregson, Tom Walker and Luke Charman.

With both teams separated only by goal difference at the top, the Coasters began quickly.

Inside the opening five minutes, Haughton’s corner found Luke Conlan at the far post where he knocked it back into the six-yard box.

The ball fell into the path of Alex Whitmore, who took a touch but Paul Jones saw collect his shot.

Fylde looked bright, seeing the visitors scramble to clear a free-kick from Haughton, who had an effort palmed away by the keeper.

Danny Whitehead then found Haughton, who was denied by another save.

For all the Coasters’ domination in the opening stages, they were given a scare as Michael Clunan was given time to spread the play to Aaron Jones.

He took one touch and fired at goal, only for the ball to find the hands of Fylde keeper Chris Neal.

The Coasters, however, took a deserved lead when Connor Barrett’s throw was flicked on by Whitehead to Mo Faal, who netted on the half-turn.

Adam Murray’s players were certainly playing on the front foot and looked a threat every time they ventured forward.

After winning possession on halfway, Haughton had time and space to play Faal in on goal.

However, Kyle Callan-McFadden backtracked well to deny him before Connor Barrett ran into the 18-yard box but saw his shot kept out.

Then, as the board went up for added time, nobody could have believed there would be another three goals to come before half-time.

That’s what happened as, for all Fylde’s good work, the visitors still carried a threat.

That was evident when a ball in behind allowed Ben Stephens to beat the offside trap and find the back of the net.

Fylde responded – not just once but twice – as they retook the lead when a well-worked corner was headed back across goal by Faal, where Conlan turned the ball home.

They quickly added another when Haughton was brought down before picking himself and seeing his free-kick hit the wall.

Nevertheless, it wrongfooted the keeper and found the net to see Fylde 3-1 ahead at half-time.

In contrast to the first half, the second began in a much quieter fashion, with Stephens firing over from close range.

King’s Lynn pulled a goal back on 58 minutes when Josh Barrett was allowed to run into the box before finding the top corner.

Fylde hadn’t really threatened in the half and their visitors took advantage on 82 minutes as Gold Omotayo volleyed into the far corner to earn a draw.

AFC Fylde: Neal, Obi, Whitmore, Conlan, Cranston (Davis 70), Barrett, Philliskirk, Malone, Haughton (Charman 70), Whitehead (Hatfield 75), Faal. Subs not used: Walker, Ligendza.

King’s Lynn Town: P Jones, Coulson, Denton (Ponticelli 82), Callan-McFadden, A Jones, Crowther, Widdrington, Barrett, Culnan, Stephens (Cosgrave 59; Oxlade-Chamberlain 84), Omotayo. Subs not used: Hughes, J Jones.