James Rowe sees full working week pay off for AFC Fylde

The benefits of a full week of training were there for all to see in Saturday's victory over Farsley Celtic, says AFC Fylde boss James Rowe.
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AFC Fylde 3 Farsley Celtic 1: Coasters bounce back with three points

The Coasters consolidated third place in National League North with a 3-1 Mill Farm victory over the Yorkshire strugglers, bouncing back from the first defeat of Rowe's reign away to his former club Gloucester City.

The first two full weeks of Rowe's tenure had featured a Tuesday game, and the boss was always hopeful an uninterrupted week on the training ground would pay dividends.

Douglas Taylor deserved to crown his impressive home debut for AFC Fylde against Farsley with a goal Picture: STEVE MCLELLANDouglas Taylor deserved to crown his impressive home debut for AFC Fylde against Farsley with a goal Picture: STEVE MCLELLAN
Douglas Taylor deserved to crown his impressive home debut for AFC Fylde against Farsley with a goal Picture: STEVE MCLELLAN
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“It was really important to bounce back,” he said. “I thought we did that comprehensively in the end and I thought there were really strong passages of play.

“You could really tell we'd had a full training week on that performance. I was really pleased with our reaction from attack to defence. We isolated their striker and really got a lot of second balls.”

The training week had not gone entirely according to plan, with a sickness bug striking the camp.

Nick Haughton was among those to miss training, though the league's top scorer showed no ill effects as his second-half brace sealed victory and took his season's tally to 23.

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Haughton made certain of the points with a trademark free-kick and Rowe added: “I think it was an outstanding technical effort for this level. Nick has that in the locker and is practising all the time in training.

“You always want to see your front players score and I think Douglas (loan striker Taylor, playing his second game) was really unlucky not to. A goal would have been a nice cap to a good home debut, with his work ethic, his hold-up play and his unselfish runs to create space.”

With six games to play, Fylde boss Rowe had a slightly different week planned ahead of Saturday's home clash with Hereford. He explained: “I was looking forward to Monday off after a really good solid week of work.

“I've really enjoyed getting to know the players better and getting some time on the grass with them. We've slogged it out since I've been here and some players deserve that little bit of rest and recuperation, then Tuesday's session should be lively going into Hereford.”

Despite mixed form and a mid-table placing, Hereford are in play-off contention.