There were few clear-cut chances in the first half at the Lancashire County Ground until Blackburn’s Jess Holbrook hit a fierce shot from outside the area that rose over the crossbar.
Rovers’ Faye McCoy then drilled a low shot wide, with Fylde’s Olivia Wilkes connecting with a cross at the near post but seeing her effort blocked, as the half ended goalless.
Ellie Cook almost netyed for Rovers with a smart header but keeper Danielle Brown was equal to it.
The Northern Division champions struggled to deal with a low cross from Wilkes but survived that scare to pile on pressure at the other end.
Cook’s header struck the crossbar and 3 minutes later McCoy did likewise with a great shot from distance.
Saffron Jordan’s curving close-range effort was saved but on 63 minutes the breakthrough came, as McCoy headed in from a corner.
That one goal proved decisive in the defeat of Fylde, for whom the game brought an added disappointment as Jenna Carroll was stretchered off in stoppage-time.
Photo – Karen Toone.
