Match Report | AFC Fylde 3-1 Bradford (Park Corner)
A brace from Nick Haughton and a thumping Alex Whitmore header made it seven games unbeaten for the Coasters with a 3-1 win over Bradford (Park Avenue).
After a mixed start to the game, the Coasters got the scoring up and running when a cross from Connor Barrett found Haughton to volley home, striking into the ground and the top corner.
Despite Luca Havern pulling a goal back from a Will Longbottom corner, Fylde went on to show their quality, and it was the captain who popped up with a bullet header from a Haughton corner.
Fylde made sure of the three points in the dying embers of the game after Keenan Patten skipped past his man on the near side of the pitch to feed Haughton for his second and the Coasters’ third, slotting past Sykes-Kenworthy.
James Rowe made just one change to the side that progressed into the Third Qualifying Round of The FA Cup, with Tom Walker coming in to replace Will Hatfield.
The first chance of the game fell the way of the visitors when Will Longbottom cut inside on his left foot and slid Jamie Spencer in on goal – he took one touch and whistled a swerving effort inches past the post.
Bradford had the better of the chances early on, and after Lucas Odunston forced Jordan Cranston into making a foul on the edge of the area after a gut-busting run from the Bradford half, Reece Staunton stepped up and made Chris Neal rush across his line and gather.
However, the Coasters’ quality shone through in one attack when Connor Barrett got the better of his man to find space and cross towards Nick Haughton on the penalty spot, who smashed a right-footed strike of the Mill Farm turf and into the top corner.
Connor Barrett was threatening the Bradford back line in the game so far, and after creating the opener for Fylde, he nearly had a goal of his own when he skipped past several amber shirts to unleash a shot, which took a deflection and curved away from goal.
On the stroke of half-time, though, Bradford managed to sneak an equaliser in and bring the scoreline level after Will Longbottom swung a corner to the back post where Havern was waiting to tap in.
Half-Time: AFC Fylde 1-1 Bradford (Park Avenue)
Following the interval, Rowe’s side almost took the lead, again through Haughton, as after a corner from Fylde’s number ten just missed the head of Alex Whitmore, the ball found its way back to Haughton, who cut inside on his left foot and found the arms of Sykes-Kenworthy from the edge of the area.
Despite a couple of half chances for Haughton, which Sykes-Kenworthy gathered with ease, the Coasters retook the lead from a corner when Haughton turned from scorer to provider, finding Whitmore on the penalty spot, who powered home a header into the bottom corner.
Kyle Morrison, who has had an eye for goal of late, found himself at the back post, identical to Tuesday night against Farsley Celtic, to meet a Haughton free-kick with a header, which Sykes-Kenworthy watched ripple the side netting.
However, the Coasters wrapped up the points with two minutes of normal time left when Keenan Patten, fresh from coming on with a never say die attitude, clipped the ball down the line and found Haughton in the middle, who took one touch and slotted into the bottom corner.
Full-Time: AFC Fylde 3-1 Bradford (Park Avenue)
AFC Fylde: Neal, Morrison, Whitmore, Bird, Barrett, Cranston (72’ Conlan), Philliskirk, Weston, Walker (60’ Hatfield), Haughton, Ligendza (80’ Patten).
Unused Subs: Obi, Whitehead.
Bradford (Park Avenue): Sykes-Kenworthy, Odunston, Staunton, Spencer (62’ Fielding), Havern, Lund, Hopper, Richman, Dockerty (78’ Church), Johnson (70’ Blyth), Longbottom.
Unused subs: Smith, Nowakowski.
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