Match report: AFC Fylde 2 Bromley 1

The Coasters gave competitive debuts to new signings Neill Byrne, Joe Cardle, Ryan Croasdale and Danny Phillskirk as manager Dave Challinor stuck to his traditional 4-3-3 formation.

Philliskirk linked up well with James Hardy throughout the first half and it was Hardy who had the first chance of the game, skewing the ball narrowly wide from a Philliskirk cross.

Bromley, however, arguably had the better of the opening 25 minutes with Omar Bugiel and Marc-Anthony Okoye testing Jay Lynch in the Coasters’ goal.

The home side looked a little nervous at times as the visitors frustrated them with an organised defensive display but, as the half wore on, they would take the ascendancy.

A lofted cross from Cardle was headed back into the box by Philliskirk into the path of Rowe, who saw his half-volley tipped over the bar by David Gregory.

Cardle would have some joy down the left side and he was to create the next chance of the game, cutting in and curling a shot just over the bar from the edge of the box.

The Coasters took the lead on the brink of half-time as a low cross from the right from Cardle wasn’t cleared by the Bromley defence and Andy Bond was on hand to tap home into an empty net from close range.

Challinor’s players started the second half strongly as good play from Cardle and Bond forced a succession of corners which the visitors did well to deal with.

Just after the hour mark, however, and Bromley were level as Jordan Higgs played the ball through the legs of Byrne before sliding the ball under Lynch and into the net from an acute angle.

This sparked the Coasters back into life and, within four minutes, they were back in front in spectacular fashion.

Rowe picked up the ball on the right wing before cutting in and unleashing an absolute rocket into the top left corner from 30 yards.

It could have been three soon after as Hardy ran at the Bromley back line and fired a low effort just wide of the left post.

With 10 minutes to go Challinor brought on young winger Serhat Tasdemir and gave a debut to new signing Gime Toure, both of whom caused the Bromley defence problems in the last few minutes of the game.

The visitors tried their best to force an equaliser but were unable to break the Coasters down for a second time as Fylde held on for all three points to start the season in a positive fashion ahead of Tuesday’s night trip to Wrexham AFC.

AFC Fylde: Lynch, Angol, Byrne, Tunnicliffe, Bond, Hardy (Tasdemir 79), Croasdale, Rowe, Philliskirk, Cardle (Toure 79), Burke. Subs not used: Griffiths, Hemmings, Birch.

Bromley: Gregory, Adebayo-Rowling (Taylor, 52), D Johnson, Sutherland, R Johnson, Holland, Raymond, Bugiel (Ogedi-Uzokwe 72), Higgs ( Meekums 79), Okoye, Porter. Subs not used: Huxter, Goodman.

Referee: Joe Hull.

Attendance: 1,227.