Matt finish on day to forget for Fylde

Walwyn left AFC Fylde on the close season to Southport for a trial period - he missed the start of the season through injury and he was loaned out to Skem by ‘Port to get some much-needed match fitness.

This was only his second game for them, and he made a huge impact, having scored twice on his debut at Durham.

This was the first time both teams had met since the play-off semi-final which Fylde won in May coutresy of Walwyn’s strike and the visitors came to Kellamergh Park unbeaten, while Fylde had lost only once in 12 games, so it had all the makings of a cracking encounter.

The game started at tremendous pace and Walwyn pounced after five minutes seizing on a loose ball just yards from goal after Lewis Field’s right-wing cross caused panic in the Coasters’ defence.

Fylde responded in positive fashion to the opener and their own top-scorer Richie Allen latched on to a Michael Barnes pass to jink pass Skem defence and fire the ball home on 17 minutes.

The game continued at a high tempo, but it was Walwyn again who struck again on 25 minutes firing past Danny McDonald.

Jimmy Heywood then had a clear chance to pull things level from 20 yards after excellent build-up play, but his effort whistled over the bar.

Then Keigan Parker went close to restoring parity after good work from Allen, but the visitors held the lead at the break.

In the second half Allen was Fylde’s main man with a fine shot on the turn going inches wide of the upright and then running 25 yards an unleashing a superb rocket from the edge of the box which flew over the bar

Skem hit them on the counter at pace and Shane Tuck fired home from inside the box after good work from Walwyn on the left wing played in the division’s top scorer and he coolly stroked the ball past McDonald to make it 3-1.

Walwyn then completed his hat-trick on 58 minutes with a well-hit shot to make it 4-1.

Keigan Parker then had a free kick on the edge of the box tipped over the bar by Skem keeper Ashton to sum up the Coasters luck on the day.

Walwyn, playing with all the confidence in the world after his hat-trick then had the audacity to grab another opportunist goal and hit a swerver from outside the box which flew past McDonald to make it 5-1 and it was all over for the home side against a team who had the knack of scoring at every opportunity.

The Coasters meanwhile would reflect that they were punished for giving the forward far too much time and space throughout.

Richie Allen grabbed his seventh of the season when his header from James Heywood’s looping cross late on flew past the Skem keeper but it was nothing more than a consolation for the player who was given the home man of the match prize by the sponsors.

Walwyn left the field with 20 minutes left after a crunching challenge from Fylde defender Mick Stringfellow.

Manager Kelham O’Hanlon said: “We are certainly very disapointed with the result.

“We didn’t see that coming at all after such a great win and performance at Chorley in the FA Cup in midweek.

“Sometimes in a season you get a shock scoreline and it’s up to us now to prove that it was a shock - we had an off day and we have to take it on the chin and move on.”

Fylde are in League cup action tomorrow with a home game against neighbours Bamber Bridge with O’Hanlon expecting to experiment with his squad

Fylde: McDonald Heywood Jarvis Stringfellow Steel (Doughty) Mercer (Booth) Beattie Kay Parker Allen Barnes (Turner); not used: Penswick, McNiven

n AFC Fylde were without striker Lee Thorpe – he had other matters on his mind as his partner was due to give birth.