Hereford 1 AFC Fylde 4: Two more for Nick Haughton as Coasters continue perfect start

Nick Haughton’s first-half brace set the Coasters on their way, despite a slow start to proceedings, then frontmen Joe Piggott and Stephen Dobbie added their first goals for the club in the second half to send the loyal Fylde following home happy.

Jim Bentley made two changes to the starting XI that beat Boston United a week earlier, bringing in David Perkins for the injured Danny Philliskirk, whil Jacob Holland-Wilkinson made his full debut as Sam Osborne dropped to the bench. Jack Sampson had recovered from injury was left out of the squad due to illness.

Josh Gowling’s men came flying out of the traps, with Ryan McLean crashing a shot off the crossbar after one minute.

The opening goal of the game arrived in the third minute, when Haughton caught the keeper out with a clever free-kick from 40-yards out, much to the surprise of everybody inside Edgar Street.

Haughton was at it again five minutes later, when he tried his luck from range, but it was much too high to test the Bulls stopper Brandon Hall on this occasion.

Holland-Wilkinson almost capped his first start with a goal on 22 minutes. The young Preston North End loanee found some room in the penalty area, touched it inside on to his left foot and struck an effort off the post.

The Coasters extended their lead a minute before half-time and it was Haughton again.

Netting his fifth goal in three games, the number 10 dispossessed Mitch Hancox 30 yards out and chipped the ball over Hall after driving into the penalty area.

Piggott bagged his first goal on his second start three minutes after the half-time interval and extended his side’s advantage to three goals.

After some good patient Coasters play, Piggott reacted fastest and hammered home on the turn from eight yards.

The hosts grabbed a lifeline with just over 10 minutes to play. Miles Storey’s powerful run and strike beat Chris Neal and gave the home fans some hope.

That was to be shortlived, though, as Fylde regained their three-goal cushion 60 seconds later.

Dobbie, who had replaced Haughton on the hour mark, capitalised on an error in the Bulls defence and calmly slotted past Hall.

To put the icing on top of a fine start to the holiday weekend, academy graduate Harvey Gregson was brought on in the 87th minute to make his professional debut and help the Coasters close out three impressive points ahead of Monday’s home clash with Southport.

Fylde top the table on goal difference from Brackley Town, the only other side with nine points.

Fylde: Neal, Burke, Whitmore, Stott, Conlan, Perkins, Joyce, Holland-Wilkinson (Osborne 80), Haughton (Dobbie 72), Tollitt, Piggott (Gregson 87); Subs not used: B Jones, Nolan.

Hereford: Hall, Hodgkiss, Haines (Forsyth 78), Hancox, Mclean (Ismail 82), Owen-Evans (Kouhyar 54), Storey, Lloyd, Pollock, Vincent, Smith; Subs not used: Fini, Klukowski.

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