AFC Fylde boss James Rowe aims to hit second target for season against Kettering

Having confirmed their place in the National League North play-offs, Rowe's Coasters need two more points at most from their remaining three games to guarantee a top-three finish and a home semi-final.

They will hope to wrap up those points at home to Kettering Town tomorrow and continue a fine run of form which has seen Fylde take 13 points from a possible 15 since the 1-0 defeat at Gloucester City, their only setback in 10 games under Rowe.

Should third spot not be clinched tomorrow, Fylde will soon have another opportunity on Monday, when they visit sixth-placed York City for their final away game of the regular season.

And whatever happens against Kettering, it's highly likely Rowe will make changes for the trip to face the Minstermen 48 hours later.

He told The Gazette: “It goes without saying that it's in our hands. I was pleased to secure objective one because it was really tight for the play-off places and we've managed to create a gap.

“This weekend presents an opportunity to achieve objective two because we know how important that is, then we can got all our for objective three which is to win promotion.

“I haven't kept the same team from game to game at any club where I've managed. Sometimes the team will be the same but I do respect the opposition and I change my side to combat the opposition and make the best use of the players we have.

“I will rotate the squad because we want people battling for positions and that's what we have at the moment.”

Rowe has no shortage of in-form players, none more so that winger Sam Osborne, the two-goal hero of last weekend's 3-1 win at Boston United.

“I was really pleased for Sam because I know how hard he has worked and he really wanted to show what he can do.

“He'd scored a great winner against Hereford two weeks before and his second goal at Boston was a reward for all his hard work and pressing.”

Midfielder Will Hatfield serves the second game of a three-match ban following his Good Friday red card at Southport, though full-back Luke Burke could be recalled to the starting line-up.

Burke returned to after long-term injury in that Southport game and played longer than first intended as Fylde battled for a point with 10 men. He has been used sparingly since but may feature tomorrow.

Results over the past week have seen Kettering slip out of the play-off zone, so tomorrow's match is massively important to them too.

Now two points outside the top-seven, having won only one of their last five, Kettering won't want that gap to grow at this critical stage.

“They know it could be over for them this weekend, so we have to be prepared for that but we have our own objective,” said Rowe.

“Whenever we've played a rival team competing for a play-off place we've come out on top, so hopefully that continues.”