A dramatic late equaliser from substitute Danny Ormerod rescued a point for AFC Fylde in a pulsating 2-2 draw with Eastleigh at Mill Farm. The match, a fiery encounter punctuated by numerous yellow cards, saw the lead change hands twice before a thrilling finale.
The Coasters broke the deadlock shortly after the restart in the 49th minute. A well-worked move culminated in Nick Haughton providing the assist for Charlie Jolley to finish smartly. Eastleigh’s response, however, was swift and emphatic. Just six minutes later, in the 55th minute, Tyrese Shade levelled the scores.
The visitors then gained the ascendancy, and Shade struck again in the 78th minute, completing his brace and silencing the home crowd. With Eastleigh seemingly heading for victory, both managers made changes. Fylde’s substitution, replacing Jolley with Ormerod in the 78th minute, proved particularly inspired.
Deep into six minutes of stoppage time, with the game seemingly lost, Haughton again delivered a crucial assist, this time finding Ormerod who dramatically levelled the scores in the 96th minute, sparking wild celebrations amongst the home faithful.
The match had been a keenly contested affair from the outset, with a flurry of yellow cards in the first half for Mitchell, Boutin, Gape, Maher, Obi, and Whelan testament to the intensity of the battle. Further bookings for Taylor and Semenyo in the second half underscored the commitment from both sides.
The draw sees AFC Fylde remain 18th in the National League table on 22 points, while Eastleigh stay 13th with 29 points, despite having won two of their previous three encounters with the Coasters.