AFC Fylde 5 Macclesfield 1: Ormerod double puts Macc on the rack
Five-star Fylde bounced back from a weekend defeat with a statement home win over Macclesfield on Tuesday
Craig Mahon’s side put the 2-1 Mill Farm loss to Buxton behind them as Danny Ormerod scored twice, Luke Hunter netted on his full debut and George Wilson and Jon Ustabasi added stoppage-time goals.
Ormerod and Hunter had early efforts blocked by Rollin Menayese before Ormerod headed his 11th goal of the season from Tom Whelan’s corner on 19 minutes..
Ormerod dragged an effort just wide and it remained 1-0 at half-time, after referee Robert Claussen appeared to give Macclesfield a penalty for a foul by keeper Zac Jones on Luke Duffy but changed his mind and awarded a corner after consulting a linesman.
Prolific former Penrith frontman Hunter seized on Wilson’s deflected shot to open his account on the hour.
Two penalties in three minutes followed as Danny Elliott pulled one back on 71 minutes after being brought down by Corey Whelan, then at the other end Sam Heathcote made a clumsy challenge on Lincoln McFayden and Ormerod made it 3-1.
Fylde looked to have a fourth soon afterwards, when Tim Whelan’s corner flew directly into the net, but the goal was disallowed for a foul on the keeper.
The Silkmen ended the game with 10 men after captain Paul Dawson received a second yellow card, then Wilson iced the cake with a drive from the edge of the box and Ustabasi collected Thomas’ smart pass to shoot under Dearnley for his seventh of the campaign.
Second-placed Fylde gave debuts to Academy products Max Fisher and Mason McKay. They remain two points behind South Shields, who were 3-0 winners at Worksop Town, and visit Curzon Ashton on Saturday.
Boss Mahon said of the victory: “I’m really happy. We are a bit depleted at the moment and had three academy lads on the bench.
"We have talent in that dressing room and an abundance of quality, but sometimes games are won by the team who want it more and I felt we wanted it more tonight. It was a joy to watch."
FYLDE; Jones, McFayden, Mitchell, Thomas, Wilson, Ustabasi, Healy-Byrne, C Whelan, Hunter. T Whelan, Ormerod; Subs: Boyes, Coates, Brockbank, Meadowcroft, Jackson, McKay, Fisher