At Mill Farm, Barnet delivered a commanding performance, securing a 3-0 victory over AFC Fylde. The result highlighted the diverging paths of the two clubs, with Barnet strengthening their hold on the top spot in the National League while Fylde’s challenges continued.
Barnet asserted their dominance early on, with Adebola Oluwo, assisted by Anthony Hartigan, opening the scoring in the 12th minute. AFC Fylde struggled to mount a response, and their situation worsened when Chris Stokes conceded a penalty in the 39th minute, also receiving a yellow card for the foul. Mark Shelton confidently converted the penalty, doubling Barnet’s lead before half-time.
The second half saw Fylde attempting to reduce the deficit, but Barnet remained steadfast in defence. Nick Haughton received a yellow card for Fylde in the 56th minute, reflecting their growing frustration. Barnet extended their lead further in the 60th minute when Lee Ndlovu scored, effectively sealing the win.
A series of substitutions followed as both teams looked to inject fresh energy into their lineups. In the 70th minute, Fylde introduced Jonathan Ustabasi, Danny Ormerod and Bryce Hosannah, while Barnet brought on Ben Coker in the 62nd minute, Billy Clifford in the 65th minute and Zak Brunt in the 71st minute. Further changes saw Dominic Telford replace Ndlovu for Barnet in the 80th minute, and Gavin Massey and Adam Long enter the fray for Fylde in the 85th minute. Jerome Okimo replaced Anthony Hartigan in the 89th minute. However, these substitutions failed to shift the momentum of the match.
AFC Fylde’s woes were compounded by yellow cards issued to Charlie Jolley in the 63rd minute and Joe Riley in the 65th minute.
The victory further solidifies Barnet’s already strong league position. Conversely, AFC Fylde’s defeat adds to their already difficult season.