AFC Fylde 4 Darlington 1

Quakers dropped down to sixth because of this defeat at the league leaders, but they battled all the way through.

Quakers held on against a strong Fylde team in the first half and despite going 2-0 down, there were hopes of a revival when Gary Brown pulled a goal back, but Fylde hit back immediately for 3-1.

Quakers then had Kevin Burgess harshly sent off when the ball appeared to hit his shoulder on the line.

Quakers conceded an early corner that was easily cleared at the near post by Phil Turnbull, and then on 5 minutes Stephen Thompson was pulled up for a foul on Sam Finley just outside the box, but Danny Rowe drove the ball into the wall.

But Fylde took the lead on 8 minutes when a left wing cross was cleared as far as Sam Finely, who hit a right foot shot straight into the top corner.

Quakers had a half chance when Thompson crossed from the right and Ferguson off balance, headed over

Quakers were nearly 2-0 down on 14 minutes when Bohan Dixon charged down the left through the Darlington defence and squared for James Hardy, who seemed a certain scorer, but Bartlett timed his run off his line perfectly and saved at his feet.

Quakers got more into the game after that, and started to put a couple of attacks together, and from one of them a ball through by Falkingham bounced off a defender into Ferguson’s path, and he ran though but fired wide.

Fylde had a good chance on 32 minutes when Rowe got away through the middle one-on-one against Bartlett, but again the keeper timed his dash perfectly and saved one handed at his feet.

Ferguson switched to the right, and created a chance for himself when he cut infield and put a left foot shot about a yard over the top from 25 yards,

, then Quakers nearly created an opportunity from a Galbraith free kick that Brown nodded back at the far post, but Syers couldn’t get on the end of it.

Liam Marrs then made a great tackle to stop Dixon’s run through the middle, then Andy Bond ran though and put a left foot shot wide.

Half time: Fylde 1 Darlington 0

Quakers had a chance at the start of the second half when Ferguson did well down the left and found Beck, who laid the ball off for Falkingham to fire just over.

Chris Hunter came on for Liam Marrs on 50 minutes, and they nearly levelled a minute later when Gary Brown’s low cross went all the way to the far post where Galbraith’s shot was blocked for a corner.

And Quakers nearly scored from the corner, it was floated in perfectly by galbraith for Burgess to head just wide.

Quakers went 2-0 down on 59 minutes when the ball came in from the left, Quakers didn’t clear it, and Danny Rowe pounced to score his 41st league goal of the season.

Quakers put Harvey Saunders on and put Brown up front, and they nearly pulled a goal back when Gillies crossed to the far post for Beck to head towards goal, but Taylor saved.

But at the other end, Fylde nearly made it 3-0 when Dixon headed an inswinging corner against the post, and Bartlett just managed to stop the ball going over the line.

Then Rowe controlled a right wing cross, sidestepped a challenge, but Bartlett blocked his shot well.

Quakers pulled a goal back on 79 minutes when Galbraith swung in a corner for Brown to head past Taylor.

But Fylde went straight up the other end, and Rowe set up Bradley to sidefoot into the corner of the net for 3-1.

Quakers were reduced to ten men on 84 minutes when Bradley dribbled through, got past Bartlett, and Burgess covering the post, was adjudged by the ref to have handled when he was flat out on the line, was red carded and Rowe tucked in the penalty.

Darlington:

Bartlett, Marrs (sub Hunter 50), Galbraith, Turnbull, Burgess, Brown, Falkingham (sub Saunders 60), Syers, Beck, Ferguson, Thompson (sub Gillies 56)

Subs: Cartman, Wilczynski,

Fylde

Taylor, Hughes, Kennedy, Langley, Collins, Bond, Hardy, Finley, Rowe, Bradley, Dixon

Subs: Morgan, Daniels, Hughes, Blinkhorn, Kennedy

.