AFC Fylde U19 2
Wrexham U19 1
National League U19 Alliance (Division H)

Match Report

Wrexham’s hopes of moving a step closer to lifting the divisional title were dashed in a mad sixty seconds at a rainswept Mill Farm Sports Village. With the Young Reds already a goal adrift, striker Mikey Hayman was felled inside the six-yard box and, as everybody waited for referee Sam Oldfield to point to the spot, he gave a free-kick to the home side who promptly broke down field and doubled their lead through Charlie Markland.

Worse was to follow as a Callum Edwards penalty rattled the crossbar and then substitute Cai Evans, on for the injured Jake Roberts, saw red three minutes before the interval leaving the Young Reds with a mountain to climb. The impressive Edwards did pull a goal back seven minutes from time as Wrexham laid siege to the Fylde goal but it was too little, too late.

“The first 45 minutes were really frustrating but the second 45 were really good,” reflected Head of Youth Dan Nolan. “Obviously, we’ve given ourselves so much to do at 2-0 down and down to ten men. It was almost an impossible task but I thought they gave it a really good go.

"For me, it was a clear penalty but to not defend the first phase from the free-kick and then the long ball was poor but I just though we lacked any enthusiasm in the first-half. We lacked energy and didn’t make a tackle. Second-half we were brilliant, played lots of good football and totally dominated the game despite being down to ten men.”

After a cagey opening ten minutes in which both sides struggled to get to grip with the appalling conditions, it was Fylde took the lead with their first attack of note when Astyn Slatter netted at the far post following Danny Ormerod’s left-wing centre. With Wrexham struggling to find their normal passing rhythm, the foul on Hayman on 36 minutes should have given them the perfect opportunity to level matters only for Markland to race clear and net with a low shot past Matty Hess. The Young Reds did get a penalty five minutes later when Harry Ashfield’s surging run saw him brought down inside the area but Edwards’ powerfully driven spot-kick bounced clear off the crossbar.

The introduction of Jacob Milner for Max Hayes at the interval saw Wrexham revert to a back three with Owen Cushion in the centre alongside Harry Dean and Rowan Davies. The bold switch saw Wrexham finally establish some control and allowed Edwards the freedom to run at the home defence, forcing keeper Owen Kelly into a fine fingertip save just after the hour mark.

Milner then broke clear down the right and centred for Caleb Hughes who saw his shot come back off the keeper’s legs, Hayman had an overhead-kick parried away before Ashfield had a header cleared off the line. With 83 minutes on the clock, Edwards finally got his reward for a superb display with a long range shot that flew into the top corner of the net before Hughes, Dean and Ashfield all came close to an equaliser.