Chorley 2 AFC Fylde 2: Coasters denied in final seconds after Haughton brace

The Coasters had a dream start as Nick Haughton put them two up after 15 minutes.

But in a game of two halves, Jon Ustabasi’s deflected effort wrongfooted Fylde keeper Bobby Jones to give the hosts a lifeline, then Calveley earned them a point at the death.

Fylde boss Jim Bentley made two changes to the side that secured a 2-1 victory over Guiseley on Saturday, with Luke Conlan and Nathan Shaw returning to the starting line-up after injury to replace Jack Evans and Sam Osborne.

The Coasters were in front in the third minute, when Haughton pressurised home keeper Matt Urwin.

The Magpies number one hesitated before his attempted clearance struck the midfielder and rolled into the net.

Chorley came forward and Willem Tomlinson tried his luck from distance, keeper Jones gathering comfortably into his chest.

Fylde soon doubled their lead as Danny Whitehead drove forward and squared the ball to fellow midfielder Haughton, whose shot from distance found its way between Urwin's legs.

Bentley's side went close to a third, when a well-worked corner eventually fell for Danny Philliskirk, who swivelled and shot only to see his effort blocked by the numerous Chorley defenders on the line.

At the other end, Jones was called into action to save Connor Hall's point-blank flick with an outstretched leg.

Hall had another opening shortly before the break but was denied by a tremendous sliding challenge from Fylde captain Alex Whitmore.

Trailing 2-0 at half-time, Chorley returned for the second half up for the fight.

And they were back in the hunt just before the hour, when Ustabasi's low, hard drive took a deflection off the unlucky Whitmore and into the net.

Haughton had a great chance for a hat-trick when Philliskirk played him in behind the Chorley defence but Fylde's top scorer fired high over the bar.

Ustabasi went in search of his second, again aiming a shot just inside the near post, but Jones was equal to it and kept the ball out.

But with the six minutes of stoppage time almost up, there was an agonising twist for Fylde.

A corner was floated over and flicked on for Calveley to turn the ball home at the back post.

Fylde remain third in the table, three points behind Brackley Town and six behind leaders Gateshead, with all three clubs now having played 22 games.

Kidderminster Harriers' win at Kettering leaves them a point behind Fylde with a game in hand, with Chorley in fifth.

Fylde: Jones, Pike, Whitmore, Stott, Conlan, Joyce, Philliskirk, Whitehead (Sampson 74), Tollitt, Shaw (Walker 66), Haughton (Obi 87); Subs not used: Neal, Osborne.

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