Squires Gate 4 AFC Fylde 3: Gate take victory in an entertaining pre-season workout
The build-up to the new season continued with Squires Gate defeating the Coasters on Tuesday night.
After a cagey opening, it was Gate who took the lead on 11 minutes with the first chance of the game.
Ryan Riley’s free-kick was met by Dean Ing, who headed powerfully past Chris Neal in the Fylde goal.
Gate then doubled their lead on 23 minutes when the Coasters conceded a penalty, James Boyd stepping up and rolling the ball confidently into the back of the Fylde net.
Six minutes later and the Coasters pulled one back as a strong run from Ben Tollitt led to the former Blackpool winger firing a powerful shot into the top corner.
Gate almost regained their two-goal advantage as Boyd fired a long-range free-kick onto the crossbar.
Three minutes later though, Jamie Ramwell pounced on a defensive error to finish clinically and put Gate 3-1 ahead.
Nevertheless, Jim Bentley’s players halved their deficit before the break when a trialist headed home a free-kick from close range.
The same player missed a glorious chance to equalise, heading wide from just outside the six-yard box as the first half ended 3-2 in Squires Gate’s favour.
After an all-action first half, chances dried up for both sides in the opening stages of the second period.
Gate fired a couple of shots off target from the edge of the area while a Fylde trialist spurned a couple of decent opportunities to bring the scores level.
Danny Philliskirk had a powerful strike tipped over, but despite Fylde having most of the possession in the second half, they conceded again on 77 minutes.
Riley’s free-kick was brilliantly saved by substitute keeper Max Johnstone but the loose ball was tapped home.
Ing then went close to scoring for Gate, firing against the side netting from a tight angle after being played through by Ryan Dodd.
It was the Coasters who had the last word when their trialist striker pulled a goal back late on with his second of the evening.