Curzon Ashton 1 AFC Fylde 3: Coasters go top of National League North
AFC Fylde made it nine away league wins in a row after overturning a deficit to beat Curzon Ashton on Saturday.
Luca Thomas (2) and Tom Whelan scored as Fylde went top of National League North after a waterlogged pitch saw previous leaders South Shields’ match with Peterborough Sports postponed.
Curzon’s Tony Weston had early chances, sending one effort wide before being thwarted by Ethan Mitchell’s vital challenge.
Fylde saw Luca Thomas send a free header off target between those chances, followed by Callum Hawkins making a fine save from Danny Ormerod.
Having also hit the post following Whelan’s corner, the Coasters fell behind six minutes before half-time.
A short corner was taken to the edge of the area and, although Zac Jones saved an initial effort, Joel Amado put the rebound into the roof of the net.
However, Fylde were handed a lifeline on 45 minutes as Hawkins spilled a deep cross with Thomas on hand to smash home the loose ball and make the scores level at the break.
The Coasters began the second half strongly, Jon Ustabasi dragging an effort narrowly wide, though they saw George Wilson make a superb tackle to deny Weston after he again found himself through on goal.
Thomas then missed a golden opportunity to give Fylde the lead as he was sent through by Ustabasi, only to be off target with his left-footed effort.
Nevertheless, Fylde got themselves ahead with a little more than quarter of an hour remaining.
Thomas earned them a free-kick, just outside the area, with Whelan’s resulting set-piece taking a flick off Joe Rodwell-Grant and sending the ball past Hawkins.
Victory was then wrapped up five minutes later following an excellent move from the visitors.
Lincoln McFayden’s cross fell to Thomas, who showed great composure to skip around a defender before firing the ball home to seal another three points on the road.
Curzon Ashton: Hawkins, Sobowale, Amado, Stobbs, Curran (Rodwell-Grant 70), Spencer (McLean 83), T Weston (Holmes 70), C Weston, Darby, Barton, Ezennolim (Stafford 53). Subs not used: Ollerenshaw, Connolly, Richards.
AFC Fylde: Jones, McFayden, Mitchell, Thomas, Wilson, Ustabasi (McKay 90), Healy-Byrne, C Whelan, Hunter (Merrie 63), T Whelan, Ormerod. Subs not used: Boyes, Coates, Brockbank, Lancaster, Fisher.