Merthyr Town 2 AFC Fylde 4: Coasters reach a century in winning promotion
AFC Fylde were crowned National League North champions and secured an immediate return to non-league’s top flight following Saturday’s 4-2 win over Merthyr Town.
Having trailed twice, a second-half fightback saw the Coasters complete an incredible season and reach the 100-point mark.
The task was simple for Craig Mahon’s side at Penydarren Park, where three points would guarantee them top spot while South Shields needed to win at Kidderminster Harriers to have a chance of lifting the title.
It was a tight affair in the opening stages, with Fylde having half-chances through Danny Mayor and Felipe Rodriguez-Gentile.
However, it was the hosts who broke the deadlock as the dangerous Lewys Twamley squeezed an effort under Zac Jones to open the scoring.
Trailing at the break, Mahon’s players had work to do with Kidderminster holding South Shields after 45 minutes.
Six minutes after the restart though, Fylde drew level as Adam Lewis drilled in a cross and Rodriguez-Gentile was on hand to fire home.
Just as it looked like they would kick on, Fylde were behind three minutes later when a scrappy corner ended with Cawley Cox finding the net to put Merthyr back in front.
A frantic seven-minute spell ended with the Coasters equalising for a second time, Luca Thomas collecting a loose pass before slamming past Jaimie Cogman to make it 2-2.
With Kidderminster now leading South Shields, a point would have been enough to seal the league title – but Fylde took the sting out of the contest.
Then, with six minutes to play, they took the lead for the first time when Ethan Mitchell pinched possession high up the pitch and squared it for Luca Thomas to score his second.
The home team put Fylde under real pressure with eight minutes added for injury time, calling Jones into action on a number of occasions.
With bodies committed though, the Coasters broke right at the death and substitute Conor McAleny showed composure to lift the ball over Cogman to seal victory, the title and promotion.
AFC Fylde: Jones, Lewis, Coates, C Whelan, Mitchell, Mayor, Wilson (Taylor 85), Lancaster, Merrie, Thomas, Rodriguez-Gentile (McAleny 72). Subs not used: Boyes, McFayden, O’Kane, Morris, Hunter.