AFC Fylde 4, Darlington 1: Coasters crush Quakers to remain top of the table
AFC Fylde bounced back in emphatic style on Saturday afternoon with a 4-1 win over promotion-chasing Darlington at Mill Farm.
Goals from Tom Whelan, Luca Thomas, Danny Mayor and Danny Ormerod proved to be the difference and retained Fylde’s place at the top of the National League North table, making it 11 home league wins on the bounce.
It was the visitors who started the game the brighter of the two sides, with Aidan Rutledge testing Zac Jones with a near post-strike in the first minute of the game.
Despite early pressure, it was Fylde who took the lead. A well-worked set piece found Tom Whelan, who wonderfully curled the ball home from the edge of the box to give the Coasters the lead.
Fylde weren’t done there, with a second goal in as many minutes. Some creative play in and around the Darlington box found its way to Luca Thomas, who smashed in to score his eighteenth goal of the season.
Just five minutes later, Fylde found themselves three to the good. A dazzling Danny Mayor run saw him drive from his own half right into the heart of the Darlington box before placing into the back of the net for his ninth of the campaign.
Fylde looked to have gone four-nil up if not for a great save from Rory Watson. An Adam Lewis whipped cross fell to Luca Thomas, who headed to the left of the keeper and could have had his second of the game if not for some superb goalkeeping.
Just before half-time, the Quakers looked to nick one back, forcing Jones into a brilliant double save to keep his team in the ascendancy.
Darlington started the second half the way they ended the first. Dangerman Cedric Main found himself with space and time as he ran through before avoiding challenges and firing the ball past a stranded Zac Jones to give his team a lifeline.
On the hour mark, Fylde could have restored their three-goal advantage. Danny Mayor found himself free on the left after beating a man, and he squared it back to Ormerod, who would have scored if not for a great defensive effort from the Darlington defence.
The Coasters continued to dominate with chances falling to Whelan and Thomas before Ormerod put the icing on the cake. Ethan Mitchell played a lovely dinked ball in behind for the onrushing Ormerod, who latched onto it and smashed past the keeper to restore Fylde’s three-goal lead.
Another tough fixture now awaits Fylde on Tuesday as Mahon’s side turn their attention to the rearranged clash with play-off chasing Marine.