Late winner ensures youngsters suffer defeat on the Fylde Coast
IN BRIEFBolton Wanderers XI slipped to a narrow 1-0 friendly defeat against Conference North side AFC Fylde at Kellamergh Park on Tuesday evening.
With neither side having been able to break the deadlock inside the first period, the home side finally opened the scoring with 14 minutes remaining through substitute Danny Lloyd who prodded home at the far post.
Wanderers rallied late on in a bid to force an equalising goal with Tom Youngs and Chris Lester both going close, but the Coasters held out for the victory.
FIRST HALF
Wanderers began the game with gusto, but it was to be the home side who enjoyed the first attempt on goal with Michael Barnes’ run into the area and resulting effort narrowly eluding Harry Campbell’s goal.
Fylde’s opportunity seemed to given them confidence, with Barnes again in the thick of the action with eight minutes gone, only to squander his chance.
Luke Denson looked set to break the deadlock with 15 minutes gone as he whipped the ball across the face of goal, only to see Fontaine slice his effort behind for a corner kick.
Wanderers however enjoyed a similar chance just moments later as Hayden White this time was the orchestrator, but Denson was on hand to clear the ball away from danger and deny the Bolton full-back.
Zach Clough found himself in space a matter of minutes later following good work from Yannick Bastos, but the frontman’s shot somehow slammed into the side netting with Fylde keeper Ben Hinchliffe stranded.
With ten minutes of the half remaining Barnes powered in on goal before unleashing a bending effort towards Campbell’s net, but his shot was always climbing and he saw the ball clear the crossbar.
Chris Lester was next to try his luck for Wanderers with the winger making a run across the edge of the box before firing goalwards, with Cian Bolger’s stretched foot taking his effort away from goal and out of play.
With three minutes of the half remaining, Richard Baker’s stinging shot from 18 yards had Bolton hearts in mouths, but Campbell’s outstretched palm denied him the opening goal of the game and ensured that the half ended all square.
SECOND HALF
The home side started the second period as they had the first, with a number of attacks on the Bolton goal which Campbell dealt with comfortably.
Lloyd looked destined to break the deadlock with nine minutes of the half elapsed as Matt Blinkhorn’s wicked cross into the box eluded the Bolton defence, only for the half time substitute to fire his effort high and wide with only the keeper to beat.
Just two minutes later, with the home side visibly boosted, Michael Potts’ drilled a shot through a crowded Bolton penalty area but saw the ball flew wide of the upright, while Baker’s tame header was easily collected by the Whites’ shot stopper.
Campbell was again called into action on the hour mark as he denied Denson’s lofted free-kick, with the young keeper expertly tipping the ball over the bar.
Wanderers continued to soak up the pressure from the home side with Potts’ long range shot failing to trouble Wanderers’ goalkeeper, but their resolve was eventually broken with 14 minutes remaining as Denson found Lloyd at the far post, with the Fylde man poking the ball home.
The Whites almost found themselves back on level terms with ten minutes to go as Clough slipped in behind the Coasters’ defence and found himself in on goal, but his effort flew past the far post by a matter of inches.
With time running out, Bolton rallied in search of an equalising goal and saw Youngs’ curled effort narrowly elude the goalmouth while Lester’s close range header flew well over the crossbar, but their efforts were to prove fruitless as Fylde held out for the victory.
FULL TIME
BWFC XI: Campbell, White, Sellers, Fontaine (Obileye 72), Bolger, Woodland, Lester, Trotter (Maher 72), Youngs, Clough (Abbotts 80), Bastos (Walker 62)
Subs not used: Fitzsimons, Holding, Ball
AFC Fylde: Hinchliffe, Denson, Sumner, Langley, Hannigan (Tomsett 67), B. Barnes, M. Barnes (Charles 64), Potts (Booth 72), Blinkhorn (Rowe 72), Baker, Allen (Lloyd, 45)
Subs not used: Gregory, Noon, Mullen