AFC Fylde seal dramatic victory

AFC Fylde manager Mick Fuller believes his side deserved the win

AFC Fylde successfully began their defence of the FA Vase with a 1-0 second round victory over Newcastle Benfield of the Northern League.

The game seemed destined for extra-time before Joe Booth struck with virtually the last kick of the game from the penalty spot.

"It wasn't a great performance from our point of view," AFC Fylde manager Mick Fuller told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"I believe we were favourites to win, but I knew it was going to be close."

Newcastle Benfield wasted no time in signalling their intentions and could easily have been two goals up inside the opening six minutes.

Within 90 seconds of the start, the home defence failed to deal with a ball into the box, and Scott Davison's shot on the turn across the face of the goal just missed the target.

It was a clear penalty, and it was a great way to finish the game

AFC Fylde manager Mick Fuller

Fylde had another let off in the sixth minute when Benfield's Michael Chilton volleyed Adam Scope's cross over the bar from eight yards.

The home support had something to cheer in the 12th minute when Joe Booth turned a Mark Wane cross into the net, but the assistant referee flagged for offside.

Play moved straight up to the opposite end, and Fylde keeper Pete Summerfield was called into action to deal with a Chilton shot after the striker had outpaced the home defence.

After the break Fylde began to dominate possession and Booth and Allen both tested Andrew Grainger in the visiting goal.

As the game reached an exciting finale, the last six minutes produced the best chances of the afternoon.

Benfield substitute Alysine Bengura missed a great chance when he headed wide from a corner kick after evading his marker at the back post.

But with extra-time beckoning, Fylde finally made the breakthrough in the last minute.

A neat through ball from Richie Allen played Mark Wane in on goal, and as he shaped to shoot he was sent tumbling to the ground by a Benfield defender.

The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, and Joe Booth calmly tucked the resultant penalty low to the keeper's right in the bottom corner of the net to seal a last-gasp victory.

"From what I've seen of Newcastle Benfield they are a very capable team," said Fuller.

"I said to the players before the game that if we weren't firing on all cylinders today, we were going to have a problem.

"In the second-half we had the majority of the play, and I thought we deserved the win overall.

"It was a clear penalty, and it was a great way to finish the game."