AFC Fylde 3 Farsley Celtic 1: Coasters back to winning ways and to top of league

​It was Fylde's third home game in eight days and after taking just one point from the previous two, they wrapped up victory by half-time with goals from Siya Ligendza, Connor Barrett and Will Hatfield.

Adam Murray made one change to the side held 3-3 by title rivals King's Lynn Town on Saturday, Ligendza replacing Dan Malone.

This paid off after only 10 minutes, when Danny Whitehead picked out Ligendza's run and clipped the ball over the defence for the forward to head past keeper Max Dearnley.

Ligendza then wriggled out of a tight situation to set up Jordan Cranston, who forced Dearnley into an acrobatic save, diving to his left.

Chances were few but Fylde made theirs count, doubling their lead from a corner on 24 minutes as Nick Haughton spotted the late run of Barrett, who thumped a low shot into the net from just outside the box.

The Yorkshire visitors pulled a goal back seven minutes later, Tom Allan heading home a corner at the back post.

Kian Scales' spectacular effort from distance tested Coasters keeper Chris Neal but Fylde restored their two-goal cushion in first-half stoppage time.

Haughton's shot from the edge of the box was parried by Dearnley and Hatfield, who had replaced Mo Faal moments earlier, netted the rebound at the near post.

After the restart, Farsley's Carlton Ubaezuonu flashed an effort across goal as did Barrett at the other end.

There was to no repeat of King's Lynn's fightback from a 3-1 half-time deficit as Fylde controlled the second half.

They went close to a fourth when Danny Philliskirk intercepted and was inches wide with a dipping strike, then Dearnley scrambled to keep Haughton's effort out of the top corner.

The win lifts Fylde two points clear at the top, with a game in hand, after King's Lynn were held 1-1 by Buxton, who host the Coasters next Tuesday. Before then, Fylde visit Blyth Spartans on Saturday.

Fylde: Neal, Obi, Whitmore, Conlan, Cranston (Davis 76), Barrett (Walker 73), Philliskirk, Haughton, Whitehead, Ligendza, Faal (Hatfield 44); Not used: Malone, Rowley.

Farsley: Dearnley, Turner, Scales (Wallace 80), Johnson, Butler, Allan, Clayton, Atkinson, Ubaezuonu, Mulhern (Williams 60), Devine (Jessop, 73); Not used: Parkin, Butroid.