DAVID HILL JOINS ON LOAN!
He's not a name you're probably familiar with unless you follow youth team football but 17 year old David Hill has joined Fylde on loan from Wolves until the end of the season. He is known to run at defences and try to take them on before having a shot at goal and has quite a fair bit of pace when beating a man. It's seen as a last minute deal for Fylde with Henderson stating he wanted another Striker in the squad for the rest of the season.
Mansfield Town vs AFC Fylde
5th February 2039
=
New signing Stuart Greene had to wait to make his debut, he was ruled out with an ankle ligament injury for a few weeks. Carey and Johnson were in good form too so he wouldn't have gone straight into the starting lineup. Chris Moffatt kept his place on the left after an impressive display against Doncaster a week earlier and on loan Striker David Hill was named on the bench. Ian Connor lined up for Mansfield for his debut after joining them from Fylde a week ago and former Fylde Goalkeeper Neil Foster, now at the age of 34 was in goal for Mansfield. Jay Preece took the return from Bytheway on 18 minutes and crossed into the box, Moffatt beat his man to head into the top corner but the flag went up for offside! What a header that was. Craddock ran down the right wing at pace, cut inside and played a delicate ball into the box for Thomas but Foster denied him. Preece was putting some deadly balls into the box and once again he found Moffatt who won the header making it 1-0 on 40 minutes! Right in the same place as last time! Moffatt came close to a second when he struck the post from inside the area on 47 minutes. 17 year old David Hill came on for the last 15 minutes replacing Grant Thomas who was on a booking. Mansfield were pressing for an equaliser and Henderson opted to bring on John Tomaszko for Jay Preece to cover at right back. Ian Connor helped the ball on to Nzeza who turned and struck from outside the box but his shot was just wide. That must be the last chance of the game. Yes that's it! A win for Fylde against a hard fought Mansfield side and it's into the top 6 for The Coasters!
PLAYER RATINGS
AFC Fylde vs Wrexham
12th February 2039
=
Akeene Stanford was the latest player to come down with flu leaving options in midfield light. Jake Thompson was able to do a job there if needed if Carey or Johnson were to be injured. Stuart Greene was likely to be available for next week's trip to Swindon Town. Barrett tried the long ball forward which evaded thr Wrexham defence, Moffatt was in and the keeper came out to knock it away. Preece gets skinned on the left side by Green who chipped the ball into the box but Jordan headed clear, Adams knocked it forward for Groves and he played in Skiverton who just beat Breacker at the post to make it 1-0. Wrexham were in dreamland when Kyle Adams played in the free-kick conceded by Dan Carey and Luca Green headed in on the underside of the bar giving Wrexham a two goal lead after 20 minutes. Skiverton was bossing the midfield but Bytheway showed him he was in a game by knocking him off the ball and starting the move forward, he passed it to Thomas who brought Craddock into play down the right, he tried the cross but it was blocked. Preece took the ball on the right flank and sent it into the box, Moffatt shot and it was pushed out by the keeper, Craddock wrapped his foot around it and pulled a goal back for Fylde! Johnson had his work cut out trying to beat Eager to the ball but the Wrexham forward had the better of him, his touch was poor and Jordan picked it up at the back, knocked it to Barrett who played it to Byutheway who came deep to start the attack. The crowd roared Fylde forward and he passed left to Moffatt, he crossed into the box and Grant Thomas went up for the header and got it into the top left corner, 2-2 on 37 minutes! The Coasters fight back! This game has more goals in it. A frantic first half from two sides who battled each other in the National League all those years ago. 42 minutes on the clock, Craddock sent a dangerous ball into the box which was headed away, Francis Johnson caught it sweet with a left footed volley and the keeper could only parry into his own net, 3-2! Fylde on top! What a game of football! Neil Hakeem was subbed off on 56 minutes and Dale Alexander got his debut for Fylde at left back. Fylde came forward on 77 minutes, Preece put in another dangerous cross and Chris Moffatt was brought to the ground by Richards, penalty. If Grant Thomas scores it should put the game beyond doubt and he puts it to the keepers left, 4-2! Kyke Adams took the free-kick short for Wrexham and knocked it to Ken Davison who rifled it into the top corner to make it 4-3 just as the board went up for three additional minutes. Wrexham had Fylde camped in their own half but they dealt with the balls into the box very well, with seconds to go, it fell to Adams in space and he put the last shot of the game over the bar. What a result for Fylde after being 2-0 down! Henderson turned it around and Fylde are looking strong!
EH: Well Wrexham certainly gave us a game! At 2-0 I thought we were gonna be on the end of a drubbing but what fight we showed and to pull it back immediately was incredible character. To then go on to win the game was phenomenal yet they provided a scare late on. I'm happy with our results, they're getting better as each week passes and we've gone from relegation candidates to promotion hopefuls. Anything is possible in this league, we know that only too well!
PLAYER RATINGS
Swindon Town vs AFC Fylde
19th February 2039
=
23 year old Stuart Greene was named amongst the substitutes after recovering from an ankle ligament injury. Greene played mid-week for the u23's but was on the receiving end of a 5-0 thrashing from Stoke City u23's. Kayne Nurse was back from injury also and was named as a substitute for the trip to Swindon. Fylde struggled to string two passes together in the opening 16 minutes and Swindon were attacking with intent finding gaps between midfield and defence and Nicky Williams found Luke Ferguson on the edge of the box and he smashed it past Breacker to make it 1-0. Swindon were tearing Fylde apart and on 25 minutes Sfiso Zwane curled one into the bottom left corner, 2-0. It wasn't looking good for Fylde and O'Keefe's cross, cleared by Jordan was knocked in at the post by Mullis, 3-0 and only 28 minutes on the clock. Humiliating for Henderson and Fylde and it wasn't doing their goal difference any good. Swindon hit Fylde on the counter and Mullis was free of the defence, one on one with Breacker and he cheekily put it through his legs into the bottom corner. 4-0 before half-time. Fylde made their first change on 55 minutes, Thomas being replaced by Nurse. Stuart Greene came on for Patrick Craddock and Bytheway moved over to the right wing. It's a terrible game for Greene to make his debut. Dan Carey came closest to getting a consolation goal when Hakeem crossed into the box and he headed just wide. What a clinical afternoon for Swindon who picked Fylde apart so easily. It's a massive three points lost for Fylde which would have moved them into 4th but they stay in 6th after today's defeat.
EH: Swindon were clearly the better team and I think we made them look even better too. We wasn't there today at all and didn't show anything to suggest we had a chance of getting something from this game. Heads went down after half an hour and Swindon were cruising. We stay in 6th in the table and we still have it all to play for. We have to be clinical because the teams around us are scoring goals and winning football matches.
PLAYER RATINGS
With Cheltenham firmly establishing themselves as a League One side in recent years and their recent 6-0 drubbing of Sheffield Wednesday, they were not to be taken lightly. The ony change in Henderson's side was Justin Brooks coming in for Jay Preece at right back. Fylde had a couple of chances but yet to trouble the keeper, Moffatt went close with a header but it was over the bar. Bytheway knocked the ball down to Moffatt who ran forward before getting it wide right to Craddock, he cut in leaving his marker on the floor and struck the post from inside the box, Thomas went to follow up but the ball was taken away from him. Carlton found Davies on the right side on 60 minutes, he took it past Hakeem and played in Hone whose deflected shot found its way into the bottom corner, 1-0 to Cheltenham. Stuart Greene was on for Bytheway in the last 25 minutes. Hakeem was a threat down the left for Fylde and he done well to cut the ball back to Greene on the edge of the box who tried the shot first time with his left foot and into the top left corner it went! His first Fylde goal! Hone came forward again on 85 minutes, unchallenge, he hit a low shot that seemed to find a way in to the bottom corner, Cheltenham restore their lead. The long balls forward for Thomas to chase were just not working and he was too far away from them. It's a second consecutive defeat for Fylde and they drop out of the play-off places.
PLAYER RATINGS
Sheffield Wednesday vs AFC Fylde
5th March 2039
=
Henderson was desperate to get back to winning ways and opted for a 4-4-2 formation to try to get more goals from the Strikers. Grant Thomas and Kayne Nurse both started for Fylde. On 15 minutes Fylde had a corner, taken by Preece and Jordan went up for the header but it was blocked, it fell to Craddock and he smashed the ball into the bottom corner! Sheffield Wednesday were a top team and they hit back ten minutes later through Hayter with a curling shot on the edge of the box, 1-1. Four minutes into the second half and it was Fylde coming forward, Preece played the free-kick to the left to Moffatt, he knocked it onto his left foot and crossed into the box, Craddock headed towards goal, the keeper fumbled it and it hit the post. Vince Bytheway was briefed before coming on in attack for Kayne Nurse on 68 minutes. Fylde were dealing with the attacking threat of Gerrard, May and Sarfo limiting their space in the final third. Two minutes into stoppage time, Bytheway played a great ball into the box for Stuart Greene and Townsend pulled off a great stop to deny him. It finished a draw at Hillsborough. Fylde done well denying Wednesday at home and take a well deserved point.
PLAYER RATINGS
AFC Fylde vs Bradford City
8th March 2039
=
Tuesday night football and all was not lost yet with Fylde only a point off Ipswich in 6th but 7 points off Southend in 5th. Bradford were fighting for their lives, three points from safety but only one win in their last five. Bradford City had a proper chance after 36 seconds and Breacker was called on to tip the shot wide. Bradford were causing a few concerns but on 18 minutes it was still 0-0. The goal kick came forward and Jay Preece headed the ball back towards the Bradford half, Johnson won the flick on and it allowed Craddock to come forward, he slotted it in for Thomas who shimmied past his man and drilled it low making it 1-0! Vince Bytheway came deep to get the ball, working hard as usual and he set off Craddock down the right, he passed the ball in to Thomas for his second but the keeper denied him. He should have finished it. Vince Bytheway showed his class on 58 minutes with a clever back heel to Dan Carey who unleashed his effort towards goal and it swerved past the keeper like a rocket! 2-0! Dale Alexander's pass was cut out by Page and he played a nice one-two with Parry, it was played across the box for Carl Thomas who struck it back across goal and Gaffney tucked it in on 64 minutes. Craddock went for goal from 20 yards out in frustration of not having another option, he did win his side a corner as the keeper got across to push it out. Henderson made the change, Moffatt and Johnson both went off for Kennerdale and Greene. It was a last chance for Bradford as Gaffney got to the byline and tried the cut back into the area but Craddock cut it out and cleared, it was a home win for Fylde but they looked nervous at times. Ipswich got their win over Swindon and Southend showed true grit pulling back two goals in the last five minutes to draw with Colchester.
EH: It's the tough part of the season, we've got our eyes on play-offs, we deserve to be in the fight for a place after the hard work we've put in this season. It's a massive game next against Fleetwood who are two points behind and we really need to increase the gap on the teams below.
PLAYER RATINGS
AFC Fylde vs Fleetwood Town
12th March 2039
=
Neil Hakeem was back in the team at left back after missing the Bradford game. Dale Alexander was on the bench and was due to join up with Scotland U21's next week for the European Championship Qualifiers. The first half passed with little in the way of chances, not the spectacle we were expecting considering what was at stake. Points were needed for Fylde and Jay Preece came very close when his free-kick from 25 yards hit the side netting. Johnson played the ball forward for Craddock who knocked it through the legs of Haslam and had his shot turned away by the keeper. Cooke was on for Fylde and was proving to be a handful, at the other end Dan Carey played it wide to Preece and he crossed for Moffatt, he headed across goal and the ball alluded the keeper and found it's way into the bottom corner! Fylde go in front with 23 minutes to go! Stuart Greene played the ball in for Moffatt but he got caught under his own feet, Hakeem was behind him and he struck the ball against the bar. Dylan Cooke was causing problems and his ball over to Andrews on the right saw him cut inside and shoot low past Breacker and equalise for Fleetwood in the 90th minute. Fylde went up the other end immediately and Craddock was through on goal but the keeper dived to keep the ball out. That's the end of the match and it's a point apiece here at Mill Farm. Ipswich Town got the win over Cheltenham and move three points clear of Fylde.
I can't even sleep at night. Keep throwing daft points away. Can't see us pushing this over the line. We need some x-factor like how Everton used headlocks in 2023 to go from relegation fodder to CL winners under former players turned coaching team of Drenthe and van der Meyde after they sacked Lampard.
