AFC Fylde squad are told to keep calm against Curzon Ashton

Coasters manager Bentley says a loss of composure was the common factor in Fylde’s two games over the past week, despite different outcomes.

Fylde ended last Saturday’s game against 10-man Guiseley clinging to a 2-1 lead but were less successful on Tuesday at Chorley, who pinched a second goal in stoppage time to share the spoils.

Bentley spoke after both games of a descent into “panic” and although he sympathises with the pressures and expectations on his side to perform well, the manager says that’s no excuse for abandoning the game plan.

The Fylde boss told The Gazette: “The Guiseley game wasn’t as bad as it seemed at the time but we did panic late on and we did it earlier at Chorley. They had nothing to lose. They had a good crowd behind them and players who wanted to battle.

“It’s like in boxing: if you pummel an opponent for 11 rounds but they are still standing, then an element of doubt will creep in that they may find that little bit of energy in the last round.

“I think we got into that mindset against Guiseley. We started giving too many fouls away and went away from what we’d been doing well.

“It was the same at Chorley, where we stopped playing our game, dropped deep and invited pressure on ourselves.”

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