Jim Bentley: Fylde kept their heads to avoid being scalped in FA Cup

Bentley was grateful the Coasters weren’t a scalp and said: “Away from home in the FA Cup, the fever, the weather, all aspects. There will be upsets up and down the country in any round of the FA Cup.

“It’s important when you come away from home to stand up and be counted, so to come here against a very good side and keep a clean sheet was massive for us.

“I thought some of our play in the first half was okay, there is more to come in that department. We created a couple of decent chances and we tested the keeper. We haven’t really had much against us, but I thought second half Nantwich were brilliant. They kept going and plugging away.

“They had runners, they had the big lad up front and it was all hands to the pump.

“There were pleasing things about our play – another clean sheet is massive for us, how they battled and how they went about their jobs was superb.

“We can do more with the ball. We gave it away too much, certainly in the second half when it needed someone to put their foot on it.

Fylde’s only goal came from Ryan Croasdale, a fortunate effort taken on his left foot around 12 yards out.

The strike ballooned up and over the goalkeeper, just clipping the inside of the post as it found the net.

Bentley added: “We’ve worked on defensive set- plays. Today it was from a free-kick and a great counter- attack. We’ve got great pace in the attack.

“We’ve got in, and as it’s been squared to Ryan I’m thinking, ‘Take a touch and cross it in.’ He’s gone with it first time. It’s looped up and I’ve turned away in disgust.

“As I turned around, the dugout has jumped up and told me it’s gone in. They all count. It doesn’t matter how they go in the back of the net.

“It was a good counter-attack but the finish wasn’t pretty. He might on another day strike it true and hit the goalie or the post. So the way it’s gone in is a little bit different but it doesn’t matter. It’s in the onion bag and we’re into the next round.”

The Coasters will face a tougher test on Saturday when they return to league action away to high-flying Solihull Moors, who are in sixth place