Southend United returned to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over AFC Fylde at Roots Hall, as Ben Goodliffe scored at both ends during an eventful afternoon for the Shrimpers defender.
Darren Oldaker gave Kieron Dyer’s side the perfect start after just two minutes. Leon Chambers-Parillon was involved in creating the opening and Oldaker found space on the left side of the penalty area before guiding his finish beyond Fylde goalkeeper Zac Jones and into the far corner.
Fylde should have levelled when a poor back-pass from Dan Cox allowed Luca Thomas to intervene and the ball reached Greg Olley with goalkeeper Jack Sims stranded, but Olley sent his effort wide of the exposed goal. The equaliser arrived in unusual circumstances in the 12th minute instead, when Goodliffe failed to spot Sims’ position and sent a long back-pass into his own unguarded net.
Southend needed only four minutes to restore their advantage. Anthony Hartigan switched play to Vontae Daley-Campbell on the right, and the defender advanced before picking out Ryan Colclough, whose close-range finish went in off the inside of the post for his second Southend goal.
The hosts had opportunities to extend their lead before the interval. Kyle McAdam brought a low save from Jones before Cox met a Hartigan delivery with a header that struck the crossbar. Southend were then forced into a change in the 42nd minute when the injured Colclough was replaced by Oli Coker.
Fylde threatened shortly after the restart through Olley, whose shot was saved by Sims, but Southend added their third in the 51st minute. Daley-Campbell supplied the cross from the right and Goodliffe’s initial header was kept out by Jones, only for the centre-back to drive the rebound in off the underside of the crossbar and make amends for his first-half own goal.
Chambers-Parillon headed another Daley-Campbell cross wide from close range as Southend looked for a fourth, while Coker later directed an effort at Jones. Fylde still had opportunities to reduce the deficit, with Thomas rounding Sims before putting his effort over and substitute Jack Morris seeing a header come back off the post.
Dyer introduced Promise Omochere for Harry Cardwell after the hour, while Zavier Massiah-Edwards replaced Chambers-Parillon in the second half. Goodliffe’s eventful afternoon ended in the 72nd minute when he was forced off through injury and Harry Taylor took his place.
The victory moved Southend on to 24 points from 12 matches and kept them third in the National League, one point behind second-placed Harrogate Town and eight behind leaders Boreham Wood. It also ended a two-match winless run after defeat to Barrow and a draw at Eastleigh. Fylde dropped to seventh on 20 points after suffering their fourth league defeat of the campaign.
