Coasters’ five-star display

AFC Fylde 5 Blyth Spartans 1
Man of the match Danny LloydMan of the match Danny Lloyd
Man of the match Danny Lloyd

The Coasters produced one of their best displays of the season to stay in the hunt for promotion in the Evo-Stik Premier Division.

In the process they extended their unbeaten run to 23 games in all competitions.

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The victory keeps the pressure on their rivals in the fight for the single automatic promotion spot in the Evo-Stik Premier Division.

It was entertaining game as both sides pressed in the early stages.

However, it was the Coasters who took the lead on 15 minutes as man of the match Danny Lloyd beat a defender out wide and crossed to Michael Barnes, who controlled the ball and coolly slotted home from eight yards out.

It was that man Barnes again who almost added a second minutes later as a well worked free-kick found him in a good position and he forced Spartans keeper Grant into a sharp low save.

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But it was far from one way traffic at this point, with firstly Dale seeing a long range effort clear the bar by inches and then the same player being caught in two minds when he had a clear header from close range.

However, man of the moment Barnes created another opening and played a lovely ball into the box where Matt Blinkhorn controlled it and laid off an inch perfect pass for Harry Winter to slot home and double the home side’s

advantage.

The Spartans then enjoyed their best period of the game as they chased a way back into the match.

Paul Robinson, their best player on the night, had a corner cleared off the line by Coasters defender Dave Hankin.

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Then Blyth were presented with a great opportunity to cut the deficit when Josh Langley brought down Ashley Davis in the box.

However, Coasters keeper Hinchliffe made a tremendous save and the home side went in at half time 2-0 up.

Blyth started the second half well, as first Davis made Hinchliffe save low to his right and then Danny Parker headed over from a corner when in a great position.

On 51 minutes Nathan Buddle brought down Danny Lloyd in the Spartans box and the forward dusted himself down and beat Grant from the penalty spot to make it 3-0.

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This was closely followed by Lloyd stinging the hands of the keeper with a thunderous shot, and then Barnes found a pinpoint cross only for Blinkhorn to head wide with the goal at his mercy.

With 10 minutes to play Robinson put over another great corner and when the Coasters failed to clear the danger the ball found its way onto the head of Arjun Purewal

and his effort looped slowly into the net to make the score 3-1.

But the Coasters were not finished and with five minutes remaining Lloyd was on the end of a lovely cross from Barnes to extend the lead.

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Then, as the game entered additional time, young substitute Joey Mullen met a Lloyd cross and he found the back of the net to become the youngest league goalscorer ever for the Coasters.

On his 150th game in charge Dave Challinor will have been pleased with both the performance and the boost in goal difference as the Coasters move on to another

game on Saturday against Grantham.