A look back at Easter Monday’s clash at Mill Farm….
By Matty Paddock - 10/04/2023
Posted 3 years ago
HARRIERS made it three wins in a row with an outstanding 2-0 victory at title-chasing AFC Fylde.
The visitors netted twice in the first half as Amari Morgan-Smith netted a brace – an outstanding finish after three minutes followed by a close-range header.
Harriers weathered plenty of pressure in the second half but never looked like dropping their lead as they secured a superb away success.
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It was a fine start once again for Harriers who again got rewards for a fine early start. Joe Leesley’s ball into the area saw Fylde attempt to clear only for Zak Brown to block the ball out. It took one bounce in the area before Morgan-Smith lashed it superbly into the top corner from around eight yards.
Leesley’s powerful shot just two minutes later bounced off goalkeeper Neal and was almost turned home by Brown, but his shot was deflected over the bar at close range with the home side rattled.
Past the half hour and it was 2-0 as Morgan-Smith reached double figures for the season. Leesley’s corner ball was a dangerous one, and the striker applied the most simple but effective of finishes by heading home from close range.
Hemmings might have made it three before the break but fired over when in space, and just after the restart Christian Dibble made virtually his only save of the day, palming away superbly after Fylde sub Charman tried to slam home at the near post.
Either side of the hour mark Harriers had two superb sights of goal. First, Hemmings took aim from distance and looked to have been denied by a routine save, only for Neal to spill the ball and recover just in time to stop it rolling over his line. After, Pearce was at the point of the attack and almost lobbed the shot stopper, only a strong block from Obi keeping him at bay.
The home side did build a spell of pressure in the second half but never seriously tested Dibble, a dropping Haughton free kick on 67 minutes one of their few chances, as was the midfielder’s effort from inside the area that deflected over.
Hemmings took the ball forward on the counter in the final minutes as Harriers looked to counter for a third, but his final effort was deflected into Neal’s gloves.
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