Brackley Town 1 AFC Fylde 0: Murombedzi wonder-goal defeats Coasters

Fylde rallied to try to find a late equaliser in Northamptonshire but could not deny second-placed Brackley four points from their two National League North meetings this seson.

Jim Bentley made one change to the side that secured three points away to leaders Gateshead last time out, with Emeka Obi replacing Jamie Stott at the heart of the defence.

Jack Evans and Ben Tollitt returned to the matchday squad and were on the bench.

The first real chance of the game fell to the hosts after Danny Whitehead was penalised for a high boot on the edge of the area.

Murombedzi stepped up but Chris Neal made a terrific save to his right.

Whitehead then found himself with a perfect opportunity to put the Coasters ahead. after he beat the offside trap to go through on goalkeeper Dan Lewis.

The midfielder tried to take the ball round the keeper, who did well to get a hand to the shot.

In a half otherwise short of incident, the Coasters had a strong penalty claim when Nick Haughton was clipped by Gareth Dean and went down in the box.

Brackley had the first real opportunity after the break, when Lee Ndlovu ran on to Max Dyche's ball over the Fylde defence but his first-time volley flew over.

Striker Ndlovu had another good chance minutes later, when his back-post header from Glenn Walker’s teasing cross force a good save out of Neal.

The Saints were in the ascendency in the second half and Matt Lowe nearly put them ahead when he headed a deep Dyche cross inches wide at the back post.

The pressure eventually told in the 74th minute, after Brackley had forced a succession of corners.

The Coasters cleared one only as far as Murombedzi, who unleashed a stunning strike from the edge of the box into the back of the net.

Looking for a way back into the contest, Haughton found space to hit a dipping, swerving strike towards the top corner, though Lewis sprang across his goal to tip the effort away.

There was a late double-chance for Fylde, when another Haughton effort destined for the top corner was cleared off the line and Obi’s header was gathered by Lewis to secure the points for Brackley.

With Gateshead also winning 4-0 at Alfreton Town, fourth-placed Fylde now trail the top two by 10 points albeit with a game in hand.

Fylde: Neal, Pike (Evans 85), Davis, Obi, Conlan, Joyce (Tollitt 77), Philliskirk, Whitehead, Walker (Slew 70), Shaw, Haughton; Subs not used: Jones, Stott.

Brackley: Lewis, Cullinane-Liburd, Dyche, Murombedzi, Lomas, Dean, Lowe, Armson, Ndlovu, York, Walker; Subs not used: Rolt, Yusuf, Putz, Myles, Richards.

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