FA Trophy: Warrington Town 0 AFC Fylde 2

Emphatic finishes from Danny Lloyd and a first of the season for Caspar Hughes sealed the Coasters’ route into the first round proper on Saturday week.

Dave Challinor’s side were the dominant force all afternoon at Cantilever Park and could have scored far more but for Warrington stopper Karl Wills.

With no fewer than nine first team players injured, manager Challinor was forced to name a patched-up side, with youngster Josh Kay making his debut in midfield.

Matt Urwin was selected in goal, as has been the case in other cup-ties this season, while latest signings Brad Roscoe and Alex Marrow both made the starting line-up.

Fylde made a lively start in awful conditions but it was the hosts, currently second in Evo-Stik First Division North, who fashioned the first chance when the ball fell to Scott Metcalfe at the back post but his shot deflected to safety off Dion Charles.

The deadlock was almost broken on 13 minutes from a Fylde move of real quality.

Danny Rowe sent Matty Hughes flying down the right flank.

He broke into the box and delivered a pin-point cross for James Hardy but the youngsters could only poke the ball over the bar.

The visitors were proving too hot to handle and again went close moments later, when a Rowe thunderbolt was palmed around the post by goalkeeper Wills.

Warrington enjoyed a short spell of possession but were caught out on the counter-attack as debutant Kay broke away, but his effort was blocked for a corner.

Wills was forced into another save on the half-hour mark, when the impressive Kay fired straight into his arms after a scramble from a corner.

The Coasters continued to knock on the door and Charles tested Wills with a fine left-footed effort after tricking his way into the ox.

Warrington hit back with a chance of their own on 37 minutes but Urwin was more than equal to Chris Gahgan’s stinging strike.

The Coasters were getting closer and struck the crossbar five minutes later, when the lively Rowe met a cross from Lloyd with a looping header.

Somehow Warrington were spared as the half entered stoppage time, when Hardy’s effort was blocked on the line.

But the deserved opener finally came a moment later. Lloyd burst into the box and fired home with aplomb past a helpless Wills.

The visitors kicked off the second half as they finished the first, Hughes testing Wills after fantastic build-up play from the Coasters.

Warrington began to get a foothold in the match and Urwin was called into action on 55 minutes to keep out Metcalfe’s curling free-kick.

Rowe looked to extend the advantage on the hour, after receiving the ball from Hughes on the edge of the box, but his attempt was tame and comfortable for Wills.

The visitors had a rare sight of goal on 66 minutes, when Warrington dangerman Metcalfe saw his strike charged down by Charles when well placed on the left of the penalty area.

The second goal arrived on 72 minutes and it was another classy finish.

Substitute James Sloane broke down the left and fired the ball across for Caspar Hughes to finish emphatically into the corner.

The hosts looked for a way back into the game and came close three minutes later, when Alastair Brown’s drilled shot was deflected narrowly wide of the post by striker Ben Deegan.

Charles was proving a real handful on the right and smartly beat his man with 10 minutes to play only to see his powerful strike kept out by the keeper.

The game should have been well and truly wrapped up in added time, when Sloane shot agonisingly wide of the right hand post.

The injury-hit Coasters saw out the remainder of the match with ease and can be pleased with the display which earned them a place in today’s draw.

DANIEL AGNEW

AFC Fylde: Urwin, Charles, Langley, Roscoe, Lloyd, C.Hughes, Kay (Sloane 70), Marrow, M. Hughes, Hardy (Mullen 78), Rowe. Subs: Hinchliffe, Gregory, Dawson.