Fleet’s long trip north for this rescheduled fixture ended without reward as two second-half goals lifted the hosts out of the bottom four but kept the visitors firmly rooted to the foot of the table. A goalless first-half kept the Fleet in with a shout of the points but Fylde started the second period well and they capitalised to get the goals they needed.
There were six changes from the last league outing against Boston United with a debut for new loan signing Alex Aoraha, while also in the eleven were Dylan Berry, Pape Souaré, Jez Davies, Callum Harriott and sporting a protective mask Kwame Thomas.
In a busy opening spell, league top scorer Nick Haughton forced his way into the Fleet box and struck a shot off the crossbar. Berry then made a good save from a corner before Aaron Cosgrave raced upfield and through on goal only to collide with goalkeeper Ben Winterbottom whose challenge outside the box was illegal but the Fylde No.1 got away with just a yellow card and a free-kick conceded.
Winterbottom was at fault again on 12 minutes, kicking a clearance straight at Callum Harriott who rifled a shot towards the top corner that just flew wide. Fylde surrendered possession again when Corey Whelan’s pass was intercepted and Cosgrave gained ground down the right only for Toby Edser to miscue his shot.
Fleet were pressing Fylde into their own half but the hosts went close on 24 minutes when Jon Ustabasi flicked a cross up and over Berry’s bar.
Davies and Harriott combined well to set the Fleet off on a counterattack and the former Charlton winger delivered an inviting cross towards the six-yard box but Thomas just couldn’t reach it in time.
Winterbottom was called into action again, this time more decisively on 32 minutes when he dived to push away Josh Wright’s shot after a Fleet corner had caused concern for the Fylde defence.
Wright had an even better chance to put his side in front five minutes later when Souaré’s hopeful crossfield ball caught Fylde by surprise. Tyler Cordner got in behind and laid a great pass into Wright’s path but the skipper’s first-time effort from eight yards cleared the bar.
It was a half with plenty of end-to-end action but lacked a cutting-edge for either side. Fylde sought to find it early on in the second period and Anthony Stewart had to stand his ground in the six-yard box as Haughton tried to force his way through from the byline.
Cordner earned a yellow card on 53 minutes when he cut across Haughton as Fylde broke from midfield after Edser’s possession went astray. Haughton fell inside the box but the initial contact was outside and from the resulting free-kick, Berry did well to push away the bending set-piece.
But three minutes after that, Fylde made the most of their strong start to the second-half. Good approach play saw the ball worked up to Charlie Jolley between two defenders in the Fleet box. He turned smartly and fired a good, precise effort beyond Berry.
Jolley almost grabbed a second just beyond the hour mark when a long delivery over the heads of the Fleet defence was met first time by the goalscorer who headed against the bar.
Berry kept Fleet in it on 69 minutes when Tyler Roberts snatched at a shot from close range. It was goalbound but Berry kept his eyes on it and parried the effort as Fylde piled on the pressure looking for that second goal.
And they got it on 71 minutes. More pressure on the Fleet defence allowed Haughton to pick out a pass into the feet of Ustabasi 15 yards out and he had a little space to fire low into the corner for 2-0.
Substitutes at both ends might have registered a goal in the final 10 minutes, with Maxx Manktelow and Rakish Bingham stopped in their tracks in the Fylde box and then Taelor O’Kane fired just over the crossbar for the hosts.
EUFC: Berry, Souaré, Stewart, Cordner, Davies, Wright (Tanga 65), Edser, Aoraha (Domi 74), Harriott (Kymani Thomas 66), Kwame Thomas (Manktelow 65), Cosgrave (Bingham 74). Subs: John, Dallison
AFCF: Winterbottom, Obi, Whelan, Evans, Mitchell, Bardell, Hugill, Roberts, Ustabasi, Jolley (Ormerod 80), Haughton (O’Kane 82). Subs: Richardson, Gamble, McFayden, Massey, Riley
Attendance: 963
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