Warrington Town 0 AFC Fylde 0: Welcome workout for new-look Coasters

Town play a level below the Coasters in the Northern Premier League premier division and kick-off their season next weekend.

Fylde boss Jim Bentley named six summer signings in his starting 11, including captain Nathan Pond who was forced off the field in the first half after a clash of heads.

Latest signing Luke Conlan, who arrived the previous day from Morecambe, also started as did two trialists, who looked eager to impress.

The first chance fell to Fylde winger Junior Mondal, who met a floated ball with a tame volley that was saved by Warrington’s trialist keeper.

A head clash caused an early stoppage and saw Nathan Pond exit the field to be replaced by Alex Whitmore at the heart of the defence.

Midway through the first-half the visitors created a good opportunity thanks to neat play between new recruits Luke Burgess and Ben Tollitt, who shot over the bar.

Further chances before half-time fell to the impressive Mondal, who was twice denied by the keeper.

Fylde boss Bentley introduced several trialists for the second period, which was slow to get going after both sides made changes.

Once the game settled, one of those Fylde trialists had the first opening after beating a man on the left, though his cross-shot was cleared.

Sheldon Green, Kurt Willoughby and new signing Max Johnstone were among those introduced as Fylde made further changes, with only Conlan playing the full 90 minutes. Johnstone was called into action quickly, saving with his feet to keep out Warrington’s best chance of the game.

It was Willoughby who went closest to scoring for either side as he went through on goal only to see the keeper turn his effort away for a corner.

Fylde make the short trip to Squires Gate on Tuesday to face their Fylde coast non-league neighbours.

Fylde: Neal, Byrne, Pond, Conlan, Burke, Philliskirk, Mondal, Burgess, Tollitt, trialist, trialist; subs: Johnstone, Stanley, Whitmore, Green, Willoughby, Burn and five trialists.