Nuneaton Borough 2 AFC Fylde 2 (AFC Fylde win 6-5 on penalties): Spot-on Coasters' FA Trophy progress
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The hosts had led early in the second half as confusion in the Fylde backline enabled Owen Oseni to slot into an empty net.
However, the Coasters quickly found themselves in front through well-taken goals from Connor Barrett and Luke Charman before Leroy Lita’s equaliser took the tie to penalties.
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Hide AdIt was Fylde who held their nerve with Jon Ustabasi scoring the decisive penalty in sending his side through to the next round.
Chris Beech made six changes to the side that drew against Dorking Wanderers last time out with Chris Neal, Emeka Obi, Danny Philliskirk, Kieran Glynn, Siya Ligendza and Danny Ormerod coming into the side.
The Coasters started brightly in the opening 10 minutes and had two opportunities to take the lead.
Barrett beat his marker inside the area before squaring to Ligendza, who placed wide, before Nick Haughton was denied by Nuneaton keeper Daniel Jezeph.
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Hide AdNuneaton fought back and nearly took the lead when a long throw was flicked into the path of Victor Nirennold, whose header was gathered on the line by Neal.
Haughton thought he’d grabbed the game’s opener but Jezeph got the slightest touch on his curling effort and diverted the ball onto the post.
Fylde came under a little pressure when, after some nice work on the edge of the area from Kane Richards, Kacy Milan-Butterfield saw his effort deflect into Neal’s gloves.
Then, 30 seconds after the restart, Fylde’s backline were unable to deal with a long ball upfield and Oseni was there to pick up the pieces, slotting into the open goal.
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Hide AdLooking for a response, the Coasters had opportunities to level as Barrett blasted over from just outside the area and Ormerod curled inches wide of the post after good work from Ustabasi.
Beech’s men managed to level on 67 minutes after Max Conway did brilliantly to hang a ball to the back post but, as Nuneaton headed away, Barrett set himself and volleyed into the top corner.
The game turned on its head seven minutes later when Fylde took the lead.
Charman looked lively on the left and cut inside, beating three men before finding the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
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Hide AdBoro kept going, however, and eventually grabbed an equaliser with five minutes remaining as a cross from the left travelled to the back post where Lita nodded in to send the game to penalties.
Five successful penalty kicks were taken before Milan-Butterfield stepped up and blasted over.
That allowed Ustabasi to do the honours, finding the top corner to give Fylde the victory.
Nuneaton Borough: Jozeph, McWilliams, Storer, Nirennold, McManus (Lafleur 75), Richards (Yafei 79), Lita, Oseni, Milan-Butterfield, Rowe-Turner, Osbourne (Stenson 75). Subs not used: Mancinelli, Osborn, Friel, Curtlin.
AFC Fylde: Neal, Barrett, Obi, Davis, Conway, O’Kane, Philliskirk (Ustabasi 56), Glynn, Haughton (Graham 84), Ligendza (Charman 56), Ormerod. Subs not used: Richardson, Hailwood, Muscart, Markland.