Two goals in two late minutes from Ryan Croasdale saw Poolspegged back from a well-earned two-goal lead here at The Vic tonight.
Gime Toure got both goals for Pools, one in each half and
both came in real style but the visitors kept plugging away and two late goals from
Croasdale took a share of the points for Fylde.The game got off to the perfect start as Gime Toure showedsome real class to open the scoring after just three minutes.
The big striker cut in from the left and, spotting Fylde
stopper James Montgomery off his line, Toure lifted a lovely ball over the keeper
and into the far corner of the net.It was the ideal start for Hignett's men who came into thegame looking to build on Saturday's win at Maidenhead United.
And Pools looked strong in the opening period, with Toure causingproblems with his pace and Muir a presence alongside him.
AFC Fylde grew into the game and began to test Pools at the
other end, with Nick Haughton firing one over the bar and then a cross in from
Scott Duxbury flicked wide by Danny Philliskirk.While the visitors did see more of the ball though, Hignett's
men worked hard and closed down well, giving Fylde little room and time on the
ball.James Craigen got on the end of a through ball from LukeBurke to shoot a low effort at goal but Ben Killip held it.
Pools broke in numbers just after the half-hour mark with
great work from Toure in the build-up butt with bodies waiting in the box, Mark
Kitching saw his cross blocked out for a throw in.There was a talking point just before the break as a cross shot
from Haughton on the right sent Killip chasing before it crashed against the
near post. But Killip committed to the save and caught his boot in the back of the
net in the process. What ensued was thirty seconds of panic mixed with
amusement as the keeper tried desperately to break free of the net.Niko Muir was denied by the woodwork just before the break as
he fired in a thunderous drive from distance that smacked against the post and
bounced clear.And so it was a hard-working 45 minutes from Pools who took the1-0 lead in the break.
The visitors came out full of running in the second half and
had Pools pinned for the opening five minutes as they pressed for an early
goal.Pools weathered that storm though and broke upfield thoughToure first and then Donaldson to test the visitors on 53 minutes.
And it was Hignett's men who went on to get the second goaland once again in came in real style.
A great break upfield started when Aaron Cunningham put in a
good block in the box to deny the visitors a strike, Nicky Featherstone then
fed Toure with a lovely cross-field ball and it was great battling to find some
space and a lovely shot from the striker to beat Montgomery and make it 2-0.With the game losing some its energy for a spell, chances
were sparse but then with ten minutes left, Ryan Croasdale got on the end of a
break forward by the visitors to put the ball over the line from close range.And just two minutes later, Pools were made to pay by
Croasdale once more as he met a cross into the box to send a looping header
past Killip and into he back of the net to make it 2-2.Pools went back on the attack following the goal, with chances
for Michael Raynes who volleyed high over the bar following a corner, Featherstone
saw his shot blocked out for a corner and Toure just missed the header at the
near post to convert from the set piece.Niko Muir sent a header wide of the post in added time as Pools
looked for a late winner, while Killip denied Kosylo at the other end with a
strong save.The game finished all square in the end, with Pools leftdisappointed after letting the two-goal lead slip so late in the game.
Full Time: Pools 2 AFC Fylde 2
Attendance: 3222 (78 AFC Fylde)
Booked: Hignett (90)
Pools: Killip, Donaldson (James 70), Kerr, Raynes,
Cunningham (Holohan 85), Kitching, Noble (Kennedy 60), Featherstone, Mafuta,
Toure, Muir.Subs Not Used: Bale, Crichlow-Noble.
AFC Fylde: Montgomery, Duxbury, Byrne, Whitmore,
Croasdale, Rowe, Philliskirk, Williams (Yeates 46), Burke (Kosylo 46),
Haughton, Craigen (Bradley 69).Subs Not Used: Jameson, Willoughby.