Match Report

A bright start for FC wasn’t enough to see off table toppers Fylde as the Coasters managed a 3-2 win despite playing half the game with only 10 men.

A lively opening to the game almost saw FC take the lead and they had the ball in the back of the net inside the opening 30 seconds, however it was ruled out due to Dale Johnson fouling the defender before he shot.

Four minutes later George Thomson cut in from the right wing and beat 2 defenders before unleashing a powerful strike towards the Fylde goal, but Tony Thomson parried the ball away to safety.

Shortly after, Fylde went down the other end as James Hardy hit a first time volley towards the FC goal, but somehow Musangu made a brilliant save down to his left to push the ball onto the post and was cleared.

On the 13th minute FC made their dominance pay off as they took a deserved lead through ex Fylde player Harry Winter. The ball dropped kindly for him and slotted his shot past Thomson from 12 yards out.

The lead lasted only a matter of minutes though as Fylde equalised through leading talisman Danny Rowe. A whipped in free kick only needed a flicked header from the striker and the game was level.

The game was turned on its head in a matter of minutes as Fylde took the lead through midfielder Bohan Dixon who fired past the helpless Musangu on the 19th minute.

After an entertaining opening 20 minutes the game fizzled out a bit with only one other real chance in the first half which fell to Danny Rowe, however the striker failed to convert a header from 6 yards out.

Then on the 45th minute Fylde were reduced to 10 men after a rather strange incident occurred. Sam Finley played a ball down the line but it went out of play, in frustration he kicked the nearest water bottle into the crowd which came very close to hitting me on the head while sat in the press box. After a consultation with the linesman, referee Anthony Tankard decided to dismiss Sam Finley just before the break.

The second half started with FC needing to capitalise on the fact Fylde had 10 men and press for an equaliser, but in the 52nd minute that man Danny Rowe scored again with a brilliant solo goal after taking it round two FC defenders and sending the keeper the wrong way with a smart finish.

The task for FC had just got even harder, also now with the fact that Fylde had evidently shut up shop and we’re happy to sit back and defend making it difficult for FC United to break them down.

With not many chances being created by FC, the fans were grateful when George Thomson curled in a brilliant shot from the edge of the box to half the deficit. There was now a glimmer of hope that they could pull it back and find an equaliser against 10 men Fylde.

However apart from a Tom Greaves header which was comfortably saved, FC didn’t manage to create a proper chance to get that all important 3rd goal. The game finished 3-2 to Fylde, with FC possibly coming away from the game feeling a little disappointed considering they played against 10 men for the whole of the second half.

The website man of the match is George Thomson, he popped up with another cracking goal today when most needed and showed good movement with and without the ball creating space for others.

Attendance: 2284

Match report by James Todd.