AFC Fylde boss Adam Murray's big gamble paid off at Chorley

Nick Haughton came on for the final quarter of the New Year’s Day derby at Victory Park, then won and delivered the free-kick from which captain Alex Whitmore headed the game’s only goal in stoppage time.

Murray admitted his decision to drop 12-goal top scorer Haughton and fellow forward Luke Charman six days after the 2-1 home defeat by their local rivals was largely tactical.

Fylde’s head coach explained: “We knew the first half especially would be scrappy and was going to be a fight.

“Nick has played a lot of football as well, so with the burden he carries of being the best player in the league, he needs a rest at times.

“It was more of a tactical move to win the battle first, then as the game opens up we bring on Nick’s quality and Charms’ quality, and it made the difference.

“I don’t think a winning goal gets much better. It’s pleasing for Whits and pleasing we’ve got a centre-half on the scoresheet.

“We’ve spoken about those guys adding more to us in terms of goals and, with Nick, you know you’re going to get the delivery 100 times out of 100, so it’s important those boys step up and win us matches.”

Whitmore’s winner avenged Fylde’s third successive Boxing Day defeat by the Magpies since the clubs returned to National League North and Murray has nothing but respect for Chorley.

He added: “The result is great but more pleasing was the performance.

“We knew we had to react from the previous game and put a fighting performance in because this is a really difficult place to come.

“I have a lot of positive thoughts about Chorley. I think they are a very difficult team to play against.

“I haven’t seen anyone dominate them but I thought we more than deserved the win.

“It’s nice to get one over on your local rivals in a very, very tough game. We’ll enjoy this one and move on swiftly.”

Indeed, there’s no time to rest on any laurels with the first home games of 2023 against Banbury United on Saturday and Blyth Spartans next Tuesday.

Banbury are fresh from a festive double-header of their own but managed to take only one point from second-placed Brackley Town.

The Oxfordshire club are directly below sixth-placed Fylde in the table but have played four games more.

The Coasters have plenty of catching up to do: they are five matches – and eight points – behind leaders Darlington, and have at least three games in hand on every club in the top half of the table except third-placed King’s Lynn Town.

The rearranged Blyth game is the first of three successive Tuesday night fixtures, with three more scheduled for February.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​