Match Report | AFC Fylde 0-0 Kettering Town

The Coasters were left to settle for a point against Kettering Town on Saturday afternoon as they moved one step closer to securing third place.

Despite creating enough chances to take all three points through Nick Haughton & Tom Walker, James Rowe’s side take the point into the Bank Holiday Monday fixture against York City.

Rowe made just one change to his side, with Danny Whitehead replacing David Perkins in the starting line-up, who dropped to the bench.

Fylde made a bright start to proceedings at Mill Farm with a few early chances for the Coasters. First, Nick Haughton & Tom Walker combined, which allowed the latter to take aim but hit the side netting.

As Luke Conlan did well to shut out Connor Kennedy inside the 18-yard with some fantastic defending, Tom Walker had another opportunity to poke the Coasters ahead, almost turning in Danny Whitehead’s cross before Whitehead struck inches wide of the Jackson Smith’s post.

If anyone was going to take the lead, it would be James Rowe’s side, as this time Nick Haughton tested Smith in the Kettering goal with a thumping, swerving strike from distance from a free-kick, which the visitors managed to eventually clear.

The Poppies were finding a little more joy in the final third and could have taken the lead if it weren’t for a great Bobby Jones save down to his right, keeping out Callum Stead’s left-footed curler.

But that spurred them on further when Decarrey Sheriff tested Jones with a bouncing strike at goal, and as he spilt, Whitmore cleared any danger before a flurry of green shirts had a chance to follow in on the rebound.

Half-Time: AFC Fylde 0-0 Kettering Town

Despite the first half having plenty of chances, the second 45 didn’t follow suit, but the Coasters did almost go in front when an opportunity did come their way.

Nick Haughton worked some space to feed a threaded ball to Whitehead inside the area, and as he almost picked Osborne out at the back post, who would have been certain to score, Frank Cooper flicked the ball away with a last-ditch header.

It seemed to be turning into a game where one real clear-cut chance would take all the points, and it looked to have been coming when Jorome Slew burst forward two on one with Walker by his side, though as he played the wing-back in, the linesman’s flag went up for offside.

As the minutes ticked by, Haughton tried one last time to nick one at the end as he drifted in from the left to unleash a strike on goal, but Smith managed to scamper across his line to ensure the points were shared.

Full-Time: AFC Fylde 0-0 Kettering Town

AFC Fylde: Jones, Morrison, Davis, Whitmore, Philliskirk, Whitehead (71’ Perkins), Conlan, Walker, Haughton (84’ Dobbie), Osborne, Taylor (71’ Slew).

Unused Subs: Obi, Burke.

Kettering Town: Smith, Barrett (84’ J. Smith), Brown, Johnson, Cooper, Stead (82’ Deacon), Kennedy, Stohrer, Crawford, Sheriff (82’ Sharpe), C. Smith.

Unused Subs: Davies, Daly.

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