FC Halifax Town 2 AFC Fylde 2: O'Kane double rescues point

O’Kane headed Fylde into the lead just before the half-hour mark at Shay Stadium. But the game turned on its head in the second half as Jack Hunter equalised and Rob Harker gave the West Yorkshire side the lead.

Danny Whitehead was shown a straight red card late on but O’Kane snatched a first National League point in three games for Fylde.

Chris Beech made three changes to the side beaten by the only goal at Bromley on Saturday as O’Kane, Whitehead and Luke Charman replaced Danny Philliskirk, Nick Haughton and Siya Ligendza.

Halifax's Aaron Cosgrove went through one-on-one with Theo Richardson but couldn't keep the ball in play as he looked to round the keeper.

The Coasters were in front on 28 minutes, when Nelson Khumbeni's defence-splitting pass reached Emeka Obi and he crossed for O'Kane to beat keeper Sam Johnson with a back-post header.

Pushing for a second, Fylde's Jon Ustabasi had a header saved from captain Harry Davis' cross, then after the interval Ustabasi’s pinpoint ball found an unmarked Kay at the back post but his close-range shot was beaten away by Johnson.

The hosts' pressure told and substitute Hunter found the bottom corner from the edge of the box to equalise on 63 minutes. Fylde could have been behind within moments as Alli thumped the bar from four yards.

Halifax took the lead on 79 minutes, when Harker’s low shot on the turn found the bottom left corner.

Whitehead was dismissed for kicking out at Harker seven minutes later but Fylde refused to give up.

During six minutes of added time, O'Kane popped up for his second headed goal and Ormerod had a chance to win it in the final seconds but Johnson saved.

Fylde remain second-bottom and next host Dorking Wanderers in a noon kick-off on Saturday.

Fylde: Richardson, Barrett, Graham, Davis, Obi (Conway 56), O’Kane, Whitehead, Khumbeni (Haughton 77), Kay (Ormerod 70), Ustabasi, Charman; Not used: Glynn, Rowley.

Fylde have been drawn away to Nuneaton Borough in the Isuzu FA Trophy on December 9, when they will enter the competition at the third-round stage.