A dramatic 96th-minute winner from substitute Dan Creaney snatched a 2-1 victory for Tamworth against AFC Fylde at Mill Farm, leaving the home side heartbroken. The closely-fought encounter, the first league meeting between the two sides in three seasons, was a tense affair from the start, with several yellow cards brandished in a cagey first half.
The deadlock was broken just two minutes after the restart. Haydn Hollis provided the assist for Tamworth’s Thomas McGlinchey, who headed home to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. McGlinchey had already been booked in the first half, adding an extra edge to his celebrations.
Facing defeat, Fylde responded by making a triple substitution midway through the second half, increasing the pressure on the Tamworth defence. Their efforts were rewarded in the 66th minute when Nick Haughton calmly slotted home a penalty to level the scores at 1-1.
With the game now wide open, both sides pushed for a winner, creating a thrilling end-to-end spectacle for the Mill Farm crowd. Just as the match appeared destined for a draw, however, Tamworth struck in the sixth minute of added time. Fellow substitute Tom Tonks provided the assist for Creaney, who slotted home the decisive goal, sparking jubilant scenes amongst the travelling Tamworth supporters.
The late winner was a cruel blow for Fylde, who had battled back to equalise and looked set to secure a valuable point in their fight against relegation. The defeat leaves them in a precarious position near the bottom of the National League table, having won only two of their last ten matches. For Tamworth, the victory extends their winning streak to three games and sees them climb the table, leapfrogging several teams above them, having started the match in 18th position.