Match Report: Dagenham & Redbridge 4-0 AFC Fylde

It was defeat on the road for AFC Fylde who were beat by Dagenham & Redbridge in Kevin Phillips’ first league game in charge.

A long-range strike from Christian Nguessan, a goalmouth scramble and two smart finishes from Junior Morias and Dylan Stephenson proved the difference as the Daggers ran out 4-0 winners at Victoria Road.

There was an early scare for the Coasters when Ben Winterbottom spilled a cross from the left, but the Brentford loanee did well to deny the rebound effort from close range.

Fylde thought they had opened the scoring when Nick Haughton had the ball in the back of the net with a curling effort which Elliot Justham could only get a hand to, only for it to be ruled out for a foul against Tyler Roberts in the build up.

With little under five minutes left of the first half, the hosts took the lead with a great strike from distance. Phillips’ side were left short at the back and as the ball worked its way back into the middle, Christian Nguessan was on hand to pick out the top corner from 25-yards to break the deadlock.

The Coasters did have an opportunity to level before the break when Roberts won a free-kick in a very dangerous position on the edge of the box. Haughton and Joe Riley looked to repeat the set-piece routine which worked so nicely against Woking earlier in the campaign, but this time Haughton’s effort was well charged down.

With the interval score remaining at 1-0, there was work to do for the travelling side.

The second half got off to the worst possible start for the Coasters as the host’s doubled their lead. The ball wasn’t cleared from a corner and it was eventually scrambled home, leaving the Coasters with it all to do.

It was very nearly three almost instantly as Winterbottom was forced into two superb saves in quick succession, denying Josh Umerah on both occasions.

With all the momentum with the home side, Kevin Phillips made a triple change with Emeka Obi, Danny Ormerod and Jon Ustabasi all introduced.

As the Coasters looked to put some pressure on the Daggers defence, the host’s had another opportunity to make it three as substitute Dion Pereira’s first involvement looked to be a one-on-one chance but Corey Whelan raced back to produce a goal-saving tackle.

But with 15 minutes left on the clock, the hosts did make it three with Junior Morias taking full advantage of a mistake in the Coasters defence to tap home into an empty net.

There was time for the home side to add a fourth as Dylan Stephenson was slipped in behind the defence and slotted past Ben Winterbottom.

The scoreline finished at four, with plenty of work to be done for the Coasters who face a trip to Boston United on Wednesday night.

AFC Fylde: Winterbottom, Gamble, Whelan (C), Long, McFayden, Riley (Obi 57′), Mitchell, Jolley (Ustabasi 57′), Haughton (Massey 64′), Roberts, Zanzala (Ormerod 57′)

Subs Not Used: Richardson, Davis, Evans

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