Kidderminster 0 AFC Fylde 1: Nick Haughton strike seals winning start for boss James Rowe

A strong performance saw Fylde protect a lead given to them by Nick Haughton in the sixth minute.

There were three changes to the side that secured victory over Bradford PA seven days earlier, with Jamie Stott, Luke Joyce and Tom Walker coming in to replace Dan Pike, David Perkins and injured striker Mark Cullen.

One notable addition to the bench was Stephen Dobbie, back after a lengthy injury to face the side against whom he grabbed a late winner in the reverse fixture.

Rowe couldn’t have asked for a better start to his reign as Haughton latched on to a ball from Jamie Stott to lift his shot over onrushing keeper Luke Simpson for his 20th goal of the season.

Omari Sterling nearly provided the Harriers with an instant response when his free-kick from 25 yards was palmed away by Chris Neal.

Bar a few half-chances for the home side, there was little goalmouth action for the rest of the first period but the Coasters ended the half as strongly as they had started it.

Ben Tollitt found space to cut inside and attempt to sneak an effort in at the near post, but Simpson got across to tip the shot over the bar.

Harriers came out for the second half looking for that equaliser but the best chance came for the Coasters.

Defender Harry Davis rose above the red shirts swarming the area to head at goal but saw his effort cleared off the line.

Sensing a second of the afternoon, Haughton danced past Caleb Richards, leaving him on the deck, to test Simpson down to his left but the keeper got a strong hand behind it.

It was turning out to be a real battling performance from Rowe’s side, and Haughton had a golden chance to double his and the Coasters’ tally only to be denied by Simpson after a break from halfway.

Kidderminster were still in the game and almost grabbed an equaliser when Sam Austin's drive was kept out of the bottom corner by Neal, then Geraldo Bajrami headed over from inside the six-yard box.

The win means Fylde are now behind third-placed Kidderminster on goal-difference only but have played a game more. Top two Gateshead and Brackley Town both won on Saturday.

Rowe said: “We probably performed and achieved our outcomes better than we expected because we've only had two sessions so it's credit to some of the good work that's been done before me.

“The attitude of the players was spot on and we implemented the gameplan perfectly.”

Rowe's first home game at the helm is against AFC Telford United this Tuesday (7.45pm)

Fylde: Neal, Stott, Obi, Davis, Tollitt, Conlan, Philliskirk, Joyce, Haughton (Dobbie 81), Walker (Perkins 72), Slew (Pike 61); Subs not used: Evans, Shaw.

Kidderminster: Simpson, Penny, Richards, Austin, Carrington, Morgan-Smith, Hemmings (White 70), Sterling (Freemantle 75), Bajrami, Nolan (Foulkes 64), Redmond; Subs not used: Montrose, Martin.

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