Southend maintain play-off dream with win at AFC Fylde

Southend kept alive their faint Vanarama National League play-off hopes with a 2-0 win at AFC Fylde.

The Blues, who were battling relegation earlier in the campaign, started the day four points behind seventh-placed Halifax but had to wait until the second half to break the deadlock.

Danny Waldron opened the scoring in the 52nd-minute before Harry Cardwell wrapped up the victory to help Southend move within a point of Halifax, although they have played twice more than their play-off rivals.

Waldron looked set for a frustrating afternoon after he had two first-half efforts cleared off the goal line.

Fylde did hit the post through Owen Evans but Southend went ahead seven minutes into the second period when Waldron headed home a Harry Taylor cross.

Chances kept on coming for Southend and Cardwell sealed the victory in the 72nd-minute when he glanced home from Cav Miley’s centre to earn Kevin Maher’s team a hard-fought win.