Match report: AFC Fylde 0 Leyton Orient 1

AFC Fylde fell to their first home league defeat in five months as Macauley Bonne's first-half penalty sealed victory for Leyton Orient
Danny Rowe bursts through for FyldeDanny Rowe bursts through for Fylde
Danny Rowe bursts through for Fylde

In a match boasting two of the Vanarama National League's top three scorers in Bonne and Fylde's Danny Rowe, clear-cut opportunities were at a premium.Fylde boss Dave Challinor went with the same side that had beaten Gateshead last time out and they went close inside five minutes, when Orient foolishly allowed 18-goal Rowe a shooting chance but the frontman sliced his effort from 25 yards narrowly wide.Rowe fired another sighter from range that was blocked before it could reach goalkeeper Dean Brill.Orient were growing into the game and Craig Clay was the first to threaten when his vicious volley from the edge of the area was diverted away from goal by Jordan Tunnicliffe.Visiting midfielder Dan Holman looked to capitalise on Orient’s spell of pressure when he let fly from 25 yards and Fylde keeper Jay Lynch was relieved to see the powerful effort fly inches over the bar.Henry Jones floated a sweet free-kick into the area 10 minutes from half-time that required the slightest of touches but the ball evaded everyone in the box and ended up in the goalkeeper’s grateful clutches.Josh Koroma was proving a handful for the Fylde backline and stung the palms of Lynch from a tight angle, although a cross may have proved more fruitful.The match sprang to life three minutes before the break, when Orient were awarded a penalty. Simon Grand hauled down Holman and Bonne made no mistake from the spot, lashing the ball into the bottom left corner for his 16th of the campaign.His Golden Boot rival Rowe scuffed an effort wide as the half drew to a disappointing end for Fylde, although the home side came out for the second period with a renewed sense of purpose as Zaine Francis-Angol tested Brill with a strike from the edge of the area.Rowe was presented with an inviting shooting position 20 yards from goal after Jones had been impeded, and the striker's free-kick flew a foot wide.Koroma was allowed far too much time and space on the hour as he raced from his own half to the bye-line before seeing his low cross-shot blocked at his near post by Lynch.Bonne had a glorious opportunity to double Orient's tally when James Brophy burst into the box from the left and fizzed the ball across that was inches out of their top scorer's reach.Clay dragged a shot wide from Bonne’s cut-back as the visitors continued to enjoy the better of the goalmouth actionAnd they should have scored a second 10 minutes from time, when Brophy picked out Holman on the penalty spot in acres of space but the ball ran over the midfielder's foot.The opportunities continued to flow for Orient, with Fylde unrecognisable from recent weeks, Bonne nodding just over from 10 yards.Fylde could have taken something from the game in the dying seconds, when a breathtaking goalmouth scramble eventually fell to Henry Jones but his shot on the turn blocked on the line.The Coasters remain in the final play-off place despite a disappointing afternoon, while the 'O's jump six points clear of the drop zone.Fylde manager Dave Challinor was brutally honest and said: “We started brightly but we made poor decisions and became impatient. We didn’t ask enough questions of them and we didn’t deserve anything from the game.”

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Fylde: Lynch, Burke, Tunnicliffe, Grand (Blinkhorn 76), Francis-Angol, Montrose, Bond (Hardy 64), Jones, Finley, Muldoon (Smith 64|), RoweSubs not used: Rhys Taylor, Callum ChettleLeyton Orient: Brill, Caprice, Coulson, Clay, Widdowson, Elokobi, Adams, Koroma (Lawless 86), Brophy, Holman (Harrold 90), Bonne; Subs not used; Grainger, Happe, ReynoldsReferee: Karl EvansAttendance: 2,206