An ill wind for AFC Fylde boss Jim Bentley as wait for change of fortune goes on

Fylde took the lead, went behind and then saw Luke Burke’s stunning strike bring them level, sending the game to extra-time.

The wind could be credited with a crucial assist for Harrogate’s winner, Jack Muldoon’s second goal against his former club securing a semi-final against Notts County.

Bentley said: “Both teams tried hard and did the best they could but ultimately the wind is the biggest factor in the game. It played a part in both goals.

“When your luck’s in, it’s in; if it’s not, it’s not.

“It’s a game that I don’t think we deserved to lose or that we should have lost but I can’t keep saying the same things. It was probably fair in regards that it went to extra- time.

“They had the majority of the first half. They had a couple of set-plays which were put in our box and Sam (Hornby) has had to make a few saves.

“They also had a couple of long-range shots. We haven’t really had much. Second half, we’re on top, we get the goal (from Jordan Williams) from a corner.

“It was an inswinging corner which is hard to defend, our lads knew that from the first half.

“You talk more about the wind and game management. You try and play on the floor into the wind but the pitch is that bobbly and the wind is that bad, as it was, that the ball doesn’t move, you’re inviting pressure.

“So they did to us what we did to them in both halves of the game and extra-time.”

Having taken the lead through Jordan Williams, Fylde conceded two goals in as many minutes to surrender their advantage.

Bentley said: “My concern was the wobble that we had to concede the two goals.

“When we’ve got the wind and we’re well on top, we should have had two or three.

“We had a big shout for a penalty and the referee’s played advantage for Kurt (Willoughby) to put it into the net but it looks like he’s been pulled down.

“We’ve had other chances to have our nose more in front. Playing against a team that is full of confidence, the two subs come on and change the game for them.

“We conceded one and then straight away, massive wobble, and that’s my biggest disappointment – the way we conceded those goals at that stage.

“If it is the wind and someone’s going to spank one in like we did and like they did for the winner, you can hold your hands up a little bit, but we just seem to crumble a little bit for that five-minute spell.

“We were looking quite comfortable. We were in front and we had the wind, and then we concede two. On the balance of play, I believe we deserved to get back from the wonder-strike from Luke Burke.”

And Bentley said the wind was always likely to play a decisive part in extra-time.

He added: “It was going to be down to the wind. We were trying to shout a message on to plug a gap from the goal-kick because we knew where it was going to land. We’d been playing over 90 minutes to realise that. As it was, we didn’t (plug the gap) and the ball bounces, Jack Muldoon takes it over his shoulder and it’s a great strike from him.

“We get the wind in the second half and Byrney (Neill Byrne) puts it over the bar from six yards. (Ryan) Croasdale puts it over too at the end.

“When a team is away from home, that’s flying high, have got their noses in front, they’re going to wind the clock down. They did everything we would have done.”