South Shields 2 AFC Fylde 1: Coasters knocked off top as winning run ends
AFC Fylde's six-game winning run was halted with a 2-1 defeat on Tuesday night away to title rivals South Shields, who scored twice in two minutes early in the second half.
The Coasters had scored 25 goals in those six February wins – including Saturday's 5-1 hammering of Curzon Ashton – but had to wait until the 87th minute to find the net in the North-East with Danny Ormerod's 30th goal of the season.
This rearranged clash of the top two was an excellent advert for National League North, though the first half was fairly cagey.
Lincoln McFayden and Jon Ustabasi were soon posing problems down the Fylde left and combined on 20 minutes to set up Ormerod, whose shot was charged down.
Tom Whelan also had an effort blocked and the left-wing pair linked up again as Ustabasi met McFayden's cross, forcing home keeper Tom Watson into the first save.
Watson also denied Ormerod but Shields ended the first half the stronger as Sean McGurk's curling shot tested Fylde keeper Zac Jones, then Jack Roles headed wide when unchallenged in the six-yard box.
The hosts carried on where they left off after the break, scoring on 52 minutes as Fylde lost possession and Paul Blackett fired under Jones for his 21st league goal of the season.
The second followed almost immediately as a cross from the right was converted by McGurk at the back-post.
Fylde boss Craig Mahon introduced Ethan Mitchell and Felipe Rodriguez-Gentile in a bid to swing the momentum but the game became scrappy. Roles was perhaps lucky to escape with a yellow card when he appeared to elbow Fylde captain Corey Whelan, who was also booked for his reaction.
Watson saved from Mitchell before Ormerod gave Fylde that late lifeline, when he latched on to a long ball and slotted home, though the visitors couldn't force an equaliser in seven minutes of added time.
Having fallen two points behind Shields at the top, Fylde will look to bounce back at Leamington this Saturday and at home to AFC Telford United next Tuesday.
FYLDE: Jones, McFayden, Merrie, Thomas (Mitchell 62), Mayor, (Felipe 62) Ustabasi, Healy-Byrne (Coates 90), Lancaster, C Whelan, T Whelan, Ormerod; Not used: Boyes, Taylor, Wilson, McKay.