Match report: AFC Fylde 1 Ebbsfleet United 1

It's a good job Fylde can rely on the National League's 12-goal joint-top scorer as he is the only Coasters player to have scored in their last five league games. Saturday's late stunner cancelled out Danny Kedwell’s second-half header and made it six goals in six games for the striker.Manager Dave Challinor made a raft of changes from the side beaten on penalties in the FA Trophy at Chester.The Coasters were given an early scare when George Edmundson’s tame header sold his keeper short but Jay Lynch was alert to save from Luke Coulson.There were few chances for either side, though Ebbsfleet were winning the physical battle and should have taken the lead midway through the half. Fylde were dispossessed and Ebbsfleet attacked with three players to two but Kedwell's shot from inside the box was comfortably saved by Lynch.Rowe was closer at the other end, twisting and turning on the left of the penalty area before shooting across goal and a whisker wide. There was a further opening for both sides before half-time as Fylde's Serhat Tasdemir weaved past two on the edge of the box before his shot was blocked, then the well-placed Kedwell fired just wide. Lynch was the first keeper tested in the second period, getting behind Jack Powell's powerful free-kick. Edmundson's clever flick almost resulted in a Fylde breakthrough but Jack Muldoon's effort from inside the six-yard box was blocked on the line. Despite a spell of dominance for the home side, it was the visitors who broke the deadlock on 53 minutes, when Kedwell glanced a header past Lynch from an inswinging cross to the near post. Rowe went close to a fortunate eqauliser when his 25-yard drive looped off a defender and just over the bar, though Fleet midfielder Andy Drury should have done better when he ballooned a shot over from Sam Magri's expert pass. Powell's corner evaded everyone and flew just wide before Rowe saved the hosts on 89 minutes.Edmundson's header across goal was cleared as far as the striker, who volleyed into the bottom corner from 20 yards. The game ended on a sour note for Fylde in the final minute, when midfielder Sam Finley was shown second yellow card for a rash challenge.Fylde remain 17th and winless after five games in December, though two of them were FA Cup clashes with Wigan.

Fylde boss Dave Challinor said: It’s funny how football works out because away at Ebbsfleet is probably the best we’ve played all season and we only came away with a point. “This time around, we weren’t great, so the point has become a good one. We kept on plugging away, and eventually a chance dropped to Rowey and he’s smashed it in.“You have to adapt to conditions and oppositions and we won the league last year by being the most adaptable team. “We would dig in, especially around the busy Christmas period when pitches aren’t at their best, and that’s what we have done this weekend. “There wasn’t much between the sides but that is the theme of this division. Any side could win four or five games on the trot, but the same side could lose four or five. A lot of the games are the toss of a coin because the division is so close. “Nobody stands out but anyone can beat anyone. That should give everyone hope because the results are all over the place.”The Coasters head to Tranmere on Boxing Day for the first of two festive bank holiday fixtures against the Wirral club.AFC Fylde: Lynch, Richards, Tunnicliffe, Edmundson, Francis-Angol, Montrose, Bond (Blinkhorn 59), Finley, Muldoon (Mangan 66), Tasdemir (Grand 80), Rowe.Ebbsfleet: Ashmore, Magri, Rance, Winfield, Clark (Bush 46), Connors, Powell, Drury, Weston (Shields 76), Coulson, Kedwell.Referee: Ryan JohnsonAtt: 1,512