Match report: Boreham Wood 1 AFC Fylde 0

ssBoreham Wood 1 AFC Fylde 0Fylde failed to score on the road for the first time all season as they suffered a narrow defeat in Hertfordshire. Angelo Balanta's early strike settled a game of few chances at Meadow Park, where the hosts stretched their unbeaten league run to 11 games. The only other game this season in which the Coasters didn't hit the net was the goalless home draw with Gateshead over two months ago, though they had two glorious chances at the death to earn a share of the spoils on Saturday. Dave Challinor welcomed back Luke Burke and Andy Mangan, who had both been ineligible to face Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup, and Jack Muldoon after suspension.The hosts made a bright start in bitterly cold conditions. Keiran Murtagh flashing a long-range effort narrowly wide of Jay Lynch’s right post.The early pressure paid dividends on six minutes. Top scorer Bruno Andrade delivered a teasing cross into the area, and although Lynch did well to get a fingertip to the ball, Balanta was on hand to fire into the top corner from eight yards.The Coasters were denied an equaliser by a sensational save from Grant Smith. Finley let fly from the edge of the area but his curling strike was clawed out of the top corner by the keeper.Next it was the unlikely figure of George Edmundson who almost found a way through for Fylde but he flicked an effort just wide from Mangan's low cross. Opportunities became fewer and father between as the half progressed, Lewis Montrose heading wide with a rare chance for the Coasters.The hosts went closer after half and hour, when Andrade sent winger Shaun Jeffers clean through but Lynch stood tall to make a top-drawer save.At the other end, Jordan Tunnicliffe was left with his head in his hands as his powerful header arrowed agonisingly wide from a corner. Both sides had another close call before half-time as Lynch rushed out to deny the unmarked Ricky Shakes, then Danny Rowe's strike for Fylde ricocheted to Edmundson, who could only head over from six yards.The second-half proved just as tight , though Andrade was proving a handful for the Fylde defence. Tunnicliffe glanced a header wide and Rowe caused a moment of anxiety in the home penalty area when Smith spilled his vicious 25-yarder.Fylde's best chances of an equaliser came in the final five minutes.First Jonny Smith had a clear strike on goal from the edge of the area but shot straight at his namesake, then within a minute fellow substitute Matt Blinkhorn latched on to Jordan Richards' long ball but keeper Smith did tremendously well to palm away his goal-bound toe-poke from six yards.Boreham Wood climb a place to seventh, while Fylde slip one to 17th ahead of Tuesday's FA Cup replay at Wigan.

Fylde: Lynch, Burke, Edmundson, Tunnicliffe, Muldoon (Richards 57), Bond (Blinkhorn 71), Montrose, Finley, Francis-Angol, Mangan (Smith 63), Rowe; not used: Taylor, Grant.Boreham Wood: Smith, Smith, Ricketts, Wells, Stephens, Shakes, Champion, Murtagh, Andrade, Jeffers (Holman 75), Balanta; not used: Woodards, Sach, Turley, TurgottReferee: Adam PenwellAttendance: 401