Will Hatfield scored the winner on his Fylde debut as Moors suffered defeat at The Brewery Field.

Hatfield, who signed from Darlington on Tuesday, slid in to convert Kyle Morrison’s cross midway through the second half.

Moors’ best chance came just moments in to the game, but Glen Taylor couldn’t beat Chris Neal from eight yards.

The game began at a rapid pace and intensity, with both sides zipping the ball around with confidence and assurance.

The contest was barely 30 seconds old when Coasters debutant Hatfield crunched into a challenge with Taylor, leaving Moors’ number nine in a heap but doing little to drag a card from the referee’s pocket.

Moors were gifted a clear opening inside the opening minutes and should have led when Glen Taylor latched on to a wayward Harry Davis header, but his shot was collected by Chris Neal.

Luke Spokes was next to try his luck in a pulsating twenty minutes, arrowing a clean strike which Neal did superbly to tip over the bar.

Fylde posed a threat but were lacking in the final third, however, Jerome Slew headed wide at the back post with Jordan Amissah back pedalling, signalling The Coasters’ first sight of goal.

A previously free flowing and intriguing match-up descended into a scrappy battle as the half meandered towards a goalless break, with both sides keen to get down the tunnel and regroup.

Luke Conlan was the first to try his luck for the away side five minutes after the restart, but the full-back’s dipping effort from range was easily claimed by Amissah, playing his final game before a three-match suspension.

The Coasters brought on former Premier League forward Stephen Dobbie on the hour mark, and he almost made an immediate impact when he closed down Amissah’s kick upfield.

A game very much in the balance was tipped in the visitor’s favour 25 minutes from time.

A break down the right from Morrison – aided by an overlapping burst from Ben Tollitt – saw the full back’s cross converted by the sliding Hatfield from eight yards out.

That goal took the wind out of Moors who brought on Ryan Hall in place of the injured Oyibo, but chances still remained at a premium against an organised Fylde defence.

Taylor did threaten Neal’s goal – a rarity in the second period – but his header landed on the roof of the net via a deflection.

Moors remain five points behind seventh place York City following their defeat to Boston United ahead of the visit of second place Brackley Town on Saturday.