Lancaster City 1 AFC Fylde 2: Winning start to pre-season
AFC Fylde began their pre-season with victory at Lancaster City on Friday night.
Head coach Chris Beech named two largely different line-ups for each half as the Coasters returned to action at Giant Axe.
Early on, Fylde saw Bryce Hosannah’s low cross turned behind for a corner, which Emeka Obi and Adam Long were unable to reach.
The Dolly Blues had two chances as Tom Kilifin’s shot across goal was punted to safety before Long thwarted Dom Lawson’s strike from distance.
With the half-hour approaching, Chris Dagnall’s effort dropped to the unmarked Kilifin but he struck wide from six yards.
Fylde grew into the contest, Hosannah hitting a powerful attempt into the side-netting before a trialist sent an effort narrowly over.
The same trialist would not be denied on the stroke of half-time, profiting from a loose ball to curl a shot into the top corner and put Fylde 1-0 up at half-time.
Beech made 10 changes at half-time with one of those players, keeper Theo Richardson, having to punch away a cross when under pressure.
However, Lancaster levelled on 52 minutes as Dagnall received possession from Charlie Bailey and fired past Richardson via the post.
Fylde threatened as Lancaster’s keeper was quickly off his line to save after Charlie Jolley was played through.
They went ahead again on the hour when Nick Haughton, having beaten four players before eventually being fouled, sent the resulting free-kick into the top corner.
Looking to extend their lead, Fylde saw Ethan Mitchell lay the ball off for Owen Evans, whose attempt was charged down by Ed Ikpakwu.
At the other end, Richardson made an excellent low save with six minutes left in dropping down well to deny a Lancaster trialist.
There was still time for Jolley to flick a header over from Jesse Hailwood’s cross before Fylde survived some late Lancaster pressure to begin pre-season with a victory.
AFC Fylde first half: Trialist, Obi, Long, Hosannah, Whelan, Trialist, Trialist, O’Kane, Morris, Trialist, Ormerod.
AFC Fylde second half: Richardson, Evans, Davis, Trialist, Riley, Halewood, Mitchell, Trialist (McCullion 67), Trialist, Haughton, Jolley. Subs not used: Meadowcroft, Holder.