AFC Fylde youngsters keep their cool for shootout success
AFC Fylde will find out their next FA Youth Cup opponents on Tuesday after they progressed to round three of this season’s competition on Friday night.
The Coasters’ youngsters won 4-3 on penalties against Northampton Town’s Academy following a 3-3 draw at Mill Farm.
Mason McKay, Stan Holder and Faris Mohammed scored Fylde’s goals before Charlie Clark saved two penalties, setting up a trip to either Leyton Orient or Whitehawk who meet tomorrow.
Northampton started on the front foot, taking the lead inside 10 minutes when Aleks Jevterevs turned smartly before firing home.
Fylde sought a foothold after that slow start and it didn’t take them long to get back into the contest.
Twenty minutes had gone when McKay burst down the left-hand side before scoring via the post from the tightest of angles.
It was 2-1 shortly afterwards when Cullen Meadowcroft was dragged to the floor, skipper Holder sending Northampton’s keeper the wrong way from the spot.
Leading at half-time, Fylde almost scored again early in the second half when Jesse Hailwood’s mazy run ended with his effort being charged down.
Nevertheless, it was the visitors who brought the scores level with an unbelievable strike as left-back Freddie Findlay found the top corner from all of 35 yards to make it 2-2.
Both sides then cancelled each other out with few chances emerging in the latter stages, meaning an extra 30 minutes were required.
Seconds into extra time, Paolo Mariani had an opportunity as he danced around two defenders before seeing his eventual effort at goal well blocked.
Against the run of play, Northampton scored the game’s fifth goal on the stroke of half-time in extra time as Francesco Obiagwu slotted past Clark to put them 3-2 in front.
With Fylde running out of gas, substitute Mohammed drew them level once again as he bent a free-kick into the top corner and left the game having to be decided via a penalty shootout.
After Clark had saved two of Northampton’s four attempts from 12 yards, he then slotted home in calm and collected fashion to seal the win for the Coasters.