Match Report | Farsley Celtic 0-3 AFC Fylde

AFC Fylde claimed a spot in The FA Cup Third Qualifying Round on Tuesday evening with a 3-0 win over Farsley Celtic at the Citadel.

It took until the second half until the scoring was opened when Nick Haughton managed to latch on to a Danny Philliskirk header to chip over Owen Mason before adding to his tally moments later from the spot after Siya Ligendza was bundled over in the area.

Kyle Morrison rounded the scoring off when he arrived late at the back post to bullet in a header from close range after Jordan Cranston picked him out from a free-kick.

James Rowe made seven changes from the 1-1 draw against Farsley in the previous tie, with the likes of Nick Haughton, Danny Philliskirk, Alex Whitmore and Siya Ligendza coming into the starting line-up to name a few.

The Coasters look to take the game to the hosts right from the get-go, with Jordan Cranston winning the ball back on the halfway line to travel forward and feed Nick Haughton, who took one touch and was about to pull the trigger before Andy Butler slid in to clear the danger.

As Farsley lumped the ball up field, a timid clearance in the Fylde defence led to Frank Mulhern almost catching Chris Neal off his line, with the shot falling inches wide of the post.

Fylde looked sharp in the opening 20 minutes, which almost brought the opener. Cranston put the afterburners on and beat his marker down the left to cross to Will Hatfield. He set Philliskirk, who set Haughton for a shot on the edge of the area, but he struck just wide of the post.

More chances followed for James Rowe’s side, with Connor Barrett first finding Will Hatfield on the penalty spot, who headed into the ground but into Owen Mason’s hands before Siya Ligendza had the perfect chance to put Fylde ahead when he picked up a loose ball inside the six-yard box from a Cranston cross to volley over.

Farsley’s best chance came when a carbon copy of their goal on Saturday looked to have been recreated after a free-kick floated to the back post found Tom Allan, who controlled it and attempted to fire past Neal, but the Coasters defence mopped up and cleared.

Half-Time: Farsley Celtic 0-0 AFC Fylde

Pressure told in the early stages of the second half when the Coasters raced out of the traps and took the lead after a loose ball into the air was headed down by Philliskirk and into the path of Haughton, who cleverly chipped Mason from the edge of the area.

Haughton soon made it two after Ligendza was brought down inside the area, allowing Fylde’s number 10 to step up and find the top corner of the net.

Goals were the talking point, and they seemed to be like buses in the second half – nothing arrives then, three come at once. Jordan Cranston, whose crossing was on the money for most of the night, whipped a free-kick to the back post where Morrison was waiting to nod in.

The hosts weren’t for lying down when, from a corner, Adam Clayton rushed in and met the set-piece with a powerful header that went just wide of the post.

There was still time for one last chance and for Ligendza to grab a debut goal when he pounced on a loose ball and struck fiercely towards the top corner, but Mason got across his line well to clutch into his chest.

Full-Time: Farsley Celtic 0-3 AFC Fylde

Farsley Celtic: Mason, Turner, Allan, Johnson, Butler, Clayton, Syers (66’ Malumo), Atkinson, Gratton, Mulhern, Parkin.

Unused Subs: Morgan, Ingham.

AFC Fylde: Neal, Morrison, Bird, Whitmore, Weston (79’ Patten), Hatfield (76’ Whitehead), Philliskirk, Cranston, Barrett, Haughton (73’ Walker), Ligendza.

Unused Subs: McPartlan, Obi, Conlan, Osborne.

The post Match Report | Farsley Celtic 0-3 AFC Fylde appeared first on AFC Fylde.