AFC Fylde-A Quest for League Football

[BFCPaddy]

Going to take a break from my Blackpool save to have a pop at some LLM. I've always followed Fylde's results so this was a natural move for me.

In the Northern Premier League Division One North, it's a long way to go before League football, but new AFC Fylde manager Patrick Feeney maintains that he can guide the lowly Fylde coast side to League 2.

Pre-season update to follow.

 

[BFCPaddy]

Pre-Season Update
Penycae 0-2 AFC Fylde: Wane, Walwyn
Newtown 0-0 AFC Fylde
AFC Fylde 1-2 Grantham: Wane,
AFC Fylde 4-0 Guiseley: Spencer, Osborne, Wane, Burey
Goole 1-2 AFC Fylde: Spencer, Downey

Pretty happy with the results, and the form of our strikers. Most games were pretty dull affairs, but the game against Goole was very entertaining, especially Chris Downey coming off the bench to score a stoppage time winner

Delighted with the bargain signings of Spencer and Baidoo. Spencer looks like he has some goals in him, and Baidoo has tormented me on previous FMs, 07 immediately springs to mind,

 

[BFCPaddy]

August Update:

Not a good month at all I'm afraid

Stafford 1-1 AFC Fylde: Spencer
Happy to take a point, but thats purely because it was a last minute equaliser from Spencer. We should have won comfortably, having dominated the game for 90 minutes.
AFC Fylde 0-0 Wakefield:
Not the best performance. Brought a whole new meaning to the phrase 'Bore Draw'
(FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round) AFC Fylde 0-1 Leverstock Green
Shocking performance against a team a division below us. They pinched a goal from a set piece and sat back and defended, and for some reason, we seemed to think that long shots was the way to go, despite my tactics having them down as a rarity.

Player Of The Month:

 

[Louis H]

keep it going mate your doin well

 

[BFCPaddy]

Cheers mate. September went much better. Update and screenies to follow.

 

[BFCPaddy]

AFC Fylde 3-1 FC Halifax
Barnes, Spencer, Baidoo
A great first win against a side who had made a great start to the season. After 20 minutes, left winger Michael Barnes scored a near post header, and Andy Spencer made it 2-0 just after half time. Halifax pulled one back late on but Shabazz Baidoo broke his duck for the club with a stoppage time goal to seal the win

Lancaster City 1-0 AFC Fylde
A very disappointing result, considering that confidence was high going into the game. An early own goal from Mark Charesworth was enough for the home side to take the three points, but the most concerning thing was our lack of any real movement from midfield to make chances.

Warrington 2-1 AFC Fylde
Spencer
Another disappointing display against one of the division's better teams. We showed them far too much respect and gifted them a first half lead. We held our own second half until Warrington were awarded a very dodgy penalty which they converted. Spencer managed to score a stoppage time consolation goal, but it was still a poor performance.

AFC Fylde 0-0 Skelmersdale United
If nothing else, this game stopped the consecutive defeats, and a solid point against a decent side. However, a run without a win has seen Fylde drop to 18th in the table, but the North West side do have a game in hand, and the division is still very tight.

Breaking News!
AFC Fylde have completed two important signings. Defender Bradley Middleton arrives on a free from Bridgwater, and former Charlton and Aston Villa playmaker Mark DeBolla signs on. Both are expected to make their debuts against Mossley

AFC Fylde 3-0 Mossley
Barnes, DeBolla, Spencer
We finally got back to winning ways with a fantastic result which pushes us back to 10th in the league. Barnes scored a poachers effort after turning past his man and finishing well, before DeBolla doubles the lead on his debut with a beautiful strike from 25 yards, though the keeper should have done better. The game was all but won and Fylde crusied through the second half, with Spencer grabbing a late third.

Lancashire Challenge Trophy 1st Round
AFC Fylde 1-0 Bacup
DeBolla
Bacup were sure to provide a tough test, and they came to Fylde with a defensive formation and with every intention to park the bus infromt of the goal. They held firm through the first half, which Fylde dominated, but their resistance was broken 8 minutes into the second half, when DeBolla's excellent run from midfield was picked out by Barnes and he slotted past the keeper to end the month on a high.

View attachment 22812

Fylde sit comfortably in mid-table, just 3 points off the playoffs, but have played a game more than some teams around them

Player Of The Month: Mark DeBolla
View attachment 22813
Despite only arriving at the club in time to play just two games this month, DeBolla has managed to turn the club's fortunes around with some great movement from midfield and two key goals to go with it.

 

[Louis H]

some good results

 

[BFCPaddy]

October Update

AFC Fylde 1-2 Chorley
Baidoo
A disappointing defeat after ending September so well. We were the better side after they took the lead and got a deserved equaliser through Baidoo, but in a rare foray forwards Chorley pinched a late winner after defending solidly for most of the game

North League Challenge Cup 1st Round
AFC Fylde 1-1 Woodley Sports
Woodley Sports win 5-3 on penalties
Barnes
A great game for the neutrals. Woodley Sports came with the intention to defend, and this was aided by their early goal. We banged on the door for most of the game but it wasn't until the last 10 minutes when Michael Barnes scored a beautiful free kick from the edge of the box. Andy Spencer missed the crucial spot kick in the shootout to signal the end of Fylde's run in the Challenge Cup.
AFC Fylde 0-3 Salford
A terrible home perfomance against the side second in the table. We were second best in every department and Salford took their chances effienciently, continuing Fylde's poor start to the month.

North League Presidents Cup 2nd Round
Curzon Ashton 1-3 AFC Fylde (AET)
Spencer, DeBolla (2)
A great result considering Curzon were top of our division going into this one. Curzon took the lead early on, but an Andy Spencer goal just after half time took the game into Extra Time. Mark DeBolla then showed his class with two incredible long range strikes, the first a beautiful bending shot from 35 yards, and the second a perfectly struck 20 yard shot to send Fylde through to the 3rd Round.

Clitheroe 1-2 AFC Fylde
Baidoo, Spencer
Finally, a league win. It's been a while coming, but a brilliant goal from Baidoo, taking the ball past 2 players on the right and slotting home from 8 yards. Clitheroe pressed for an equaliser in the second half, but Andy Spencer took a chance on the break and it paid off, as he struck his 6th league goal of the season.

AFC Fylde 4-0 Woodley Sports
Baidoo, Connett (OG), DeBolla, Spencer
Excellent revenge for our cup exit earlier this month. We got off to a great start with Baidoo giving us an early lead, and a long range shot from Joe Booth hit the post before bouncing off Woodley Sports keeper Connett and rolling into the back of the net. In the second half it was a similar story, with DeBolla notching a thrid before Spencer completed the rout in stoppage time to earn a great win for Fylde.

Ossett Albion 0-0 AFC Fylde
As you may expect, this was not one for the neutral, as both sides cancelled each other out as the closest we came to a goal was Ossett Albion hitting the bar in first half stoppage time.

AFC Fylde 2-0 Rossendale
Spencer (2)
Once again, the month ends on a high, as Fylde are starting to look like they are composing a decent run together. Spencer gave Fylde a great start with a poachers goal, before completing an excellent performance and month for the Welshman with an excellent second half goal to wrap up three crucial points.

Player Of The Month: Andy Spencer. The Welshman has been in excellent form in October, notching 5 goals in all competitions.
View attachment 22940

Fylde sit on the edge of the playoffs after some crucial performances at the end of the month,, but they have played a game more than a couple of teams around them
View attachment 22942

Formation if anyone is interested

View attachment 22941

 

[BFCPaddy]

November Update

Lancashire Challenge Trophy 2nd Round
Squires Gate 0-2 AFC Fylde
Booth, DeBolla
A good win against a lower league side. Squires Gate made it difficult for us, but in the end, the last ten minutes were a stretch too far, as Booth curled in a lovely finish from the edge of the box, and DeBolla sealed the win in stoppage time with a cool finish to secure our entry in the quarter final.

Prescot Cables 0-2 AFC Fylde
Spencer, Booth
We finally seem to be getting a bit of momentum in the league. A comfortable win at a secure mid-table side shows we are progressing well. Spencer got us off to the perfect start with a good finish from just inside the box, before Booth made it two screamers in two games with a deft finish from 25 yards, curling the ball into the top corner

Bamber Bridge 0-1 AFC Fylde
Spencer
A great win. Bamber Bridge were top of the table when we got underway, and showed their class when they carved us open three times in the first 15 minutes. After that, we calmed everything down and started to control midfield, and Spencer pinched a great goal in the second half to pinch the points.

Colwyn Bay 1-1 AFC Fylde
Kilbane
Slightly disappointed to lose our winning run, but its another game unbeaten, stretching the run to 7, which is our best run of the season. We conceded a disappointing goal, which was the first time our keeper Lewis Edge had been beaten in 6 games, which was a great effort from him. We got it together in the second half, as skipper Farrell Kilbane came up for the set piece and he powered home from close range.

AFC Fylde 3-0 Harrogate Railway
Booth, DeBolla (2)
We made the perfect start to this one with a penalty after 9 minutes which Booth hammered into the top corner. It got even better as we were awarded another penalty after a foul by Chris Clarke which saw him get sent off. DeBolla stuck the spot kick away, and then made it three just after half time. In the end, a very comfortable win, which was just what we needed before facing the new top side Curzon Ashton at home.

AFC Fylde 7-0 Curzon Ashton
Barnes (3) Baidoo, Shephard (OG), DeBolla, Penswick
You never would have guessed they were top. They were awful. We made the perfect start in all fairness, with Barnes getting off the mark early on, and from there it was one way traffic, as Baidoo made it 2 just before half time. Second half it was dead, as we took complete control, with Barnes getting his second, before Shepard put through his own goal to make it four, and Barnes completed his hatrick with a header. DeBolla struck to make it six before Penswick scored his first goal of the season to cap it off to send us top.

Garforth 0-2 AFC Fylde
Spencer (2)
It was crucial that we got another win to back up the big win against Curzon, and we managed it at Garforth, with two clever finishes from Spencer to take him on to 13 for the season, with 12 in the league.

Player of the month: Michael Barnes. The winger has been in excellent form, with an average rating of 7.6 in his last five games and three goals View attachment 22975

After a great month which led to me being named Manager of the Month, we sit top of the table hacing played a game more than a couple of teams chasing pack View attachment 22976

Let me know if anyone is following this, because if no-one is there isn't much point in me carrying on with these updates. Thanks