Peterborough Sports 0 AFC Fylde 2: Faal double secures three more points

It was a fixture that, after 70 minutes, could have gone either way before Faal took the game by the scruff of the neck following crucial defending from Alex Whitmore and Chris Neal.

Coasters boss Adam Murray made four changes to the side that drew 0-0 with Kettering Town in midweek.

Jordan Cranston, Dan Malone, Danny Whitehead and Tom Walker came in for Harry Davis, Luke Conlan, Will Hatfield and Luke Charman.

With both teams finding their feet, it wasn’t until the 19th minute that the game’s first chance arrived the way of the Coasters.

Nice play from Malone saw him find Cranston out on the left, where he took a touch and crossed towards Faal who turned and saw his effort blocked by Connor Johnson.

Opportunities remained few and far between for both sides but, as the half-hour approached, Peterborough would have felt that they should have been ahead.

Jordan Crawford’s cross-shot bounced to Josh McCammon, six yards out, but he somehow managed to blast over.

At the other end, Tom Walker’s corner was aimed for Whitmore but he was denied by a home shirt on the line as half-time arrived with the game goalless.

Fylde came out for the restart, looking to create early pressure, but Peterborough defended well and that presented Crawford with a chance to turn on the edge of the area, only to send the ball over.

Murray’s men responded as Siya Ligendza burst into the area and forced Peterborough keeper Peter Crook into a smart stop at his near post.

However, Whitmore prevented the Coasters from falling behind with a last-ditch clearance after Abduramane Sano-Sani charged down a loose ball with the rebound making its way towards the back of the net.

Fylde took advantage of Whitmore’s efforts by going up the other end and taking the lead.

Danny Whitehead swung a corner into the danger zone and, after the ball bobbled around several players, Faal managed to turn it into the bottom corner.

The hosts had put up a superb fight all afternoon and continued to push Fylde all the way.

They forced Neal into an outstanding save as he pushed Sano-Sani’s flicked effort onto the post.

With Fylde still a goal to the good, they were given a chance to double their tally as the seconds ticked down.

Faal shimmied his way through the Peterborough defence before being brought down inside the area, just as he was about to pull the trigger.

That saw the referee award the Coasters a penalty with Faal sending Crook the wrong way from the spot by slotting the ball into the bottom left corner.

Peterborough Sports: Crook, Bazeley, Fryatt, Johnson, Fox, Kennedy, Camara (Gyamfi 79), Crawford, Sani, McCammon (Jones 80), Nicholson. Subs not used: Steele, Williams-Lowe.

AFC Fylde: Neal, Obi, Whitmore, Bird (Conlan 70), Cranston (Charman 70), Barrett, Malone, Philliskirk, Whitehead, Walker (Ligendza 46), Faal. Subs not used: Davis, Hatfield.