AFC Fylde boss so positive before Southport test despite 'nightmare' backlog

The National League North fixture at home to Blyth Spartans was rained off for the second time this season on Tuesday night, meaning fifth-placed Fylde still have five games in hand on leaders Darlington and four on all the other top-eight sides bar Kings Lynn Town.

Yet Fylde are only five points off the summit, having won both games so far in 2023, most recently a hugely impressive 5-0 home victory over Banbury United last weekend.

Murray told The Gazette: “We were just getting into a bit of a rhythm and we get stopped in our tracks but the bigger picture is that not much has changed.

“We'll have a hectic schedule until the end of the season. Yes, it's frustrating but we have another big game on Saturday.”

While the past week's weather has caused postponements far and wide, the Mill Farm pitch has proved particularly prone to waterlogging in recent years.

“It's a weird one,” says Murray, “because 90 per cent of the pitch is unbelievable and one of the best in the league.

“There's just one small area where the drainage causes problems. But Tuesday was one of the worst I've seen in terms of rain and there was flooding all over. I don't think any pitch could have survived that.

“But the pitch is very important in terms of the way we play and we need it to be as good as possible.”

Tomorrow's hosts stand ninth after winning only one of their last six games, though four have been drawn.

It took a Nick Haughton goal to defeat Southport in August and Murray expects another tough encounter at Haig Avenue.

“Southport are a tough team, who are very organised, and we've done our homework on them,” he said.

“They are quite close to us, which should make for a bit of an atmosphere and that's always nice.

“We just jump on to the next game as quickly as we can to try and pick up as many points as we can. We've had a good week and we're ready to put a good performance in.”

It is unclear whether Jordan Cranston will be available after injury forced the defender off before half-time last weekend.

Murray provided this update: “We are not overly concerned with Jordan and he's in a good place.

"We'll see where he is but I won't take any risks with him because we have other people who can play there.”

One player who won't be seen at Mill Farm again this season is Danny Rowe, who has gone back to parent club Chesterfield after his loan spell expired.

The return of Fylde's talismanic record goalscorer didn't work out as planned, injury and illness restricting Rowe to 10 appearances and two goals, but Rowe returns to the National League with Murray's best wishes.

He said: “It was frustrating for Dan more than anything because he came back here to try and get his fitness back after some time out.

“He picked up another injury, then suffered a really bad chest infection. He just couldn't get going and the best thing for both parties was for him to go back to Chesterfield and consider his next move.”

The 33-year-old has not featured for the Spireites this season.