Jim Bentley plea: Support AFC Fylde through 'sticky spell'

Injury-hit Fylde have lost their last three games in league and cup, and head to Chester 48 hours after a 2-1 derby defeat by Chorley at Mill Farm.

The Coasters welcomed back captain Alex Whitmore and experienced midfielder Danny Philliskirk but lost Luke Joyce to injury at half-time.

Liam Nolan had been injured in the previous weekend’s FA Trophy defeat by Solihull Moors, then full-back Luke Conlan broke down in training last week. And Nick Haughton ended the Boxing Day game with strapping on an ankle knock which requires assessment.

Manager Bentley said of the injuries: “I’ve never seen anything like it but if you feel sorry for yourselves there’s always someone waiting to stick the boot in.

“Chorley sensed blood and got all over our young back line. It does help to have your more senior players available but you have to man up, roll your sleeves up and come out fighting. We didn’t do that in the first half.

“We are just stuttering at the minute and are falling below that fine dividing line. We’ve given our absolute all and lads are flat out. It’s time to support them and get them ready.

“Chester have a new manager (Steve Watson) and will be thinking there’s no better time to be playing Fylde, so we need everyone to get behind the lads we have available to drive us through this little sticky spell. Even if you are Man City or Liverpool, you will have sticky spells in a season.”

Bentley felt his side were denied two clear-cut penalties but admitted Chorley were worthy winners of the Boxing Day derby for the second successive year.

He added: “The game was lost in the first half. We have a lot of young lads at the club at the minute and I thought Chorley took full advantage.

“There was a little bit more ruthlessness and knowhow, and we looked quite vulnerable and inexperienced. We got a little bit duffed up for periods in the first half.

“We made too many errors and were not robust enough defensively. Chorley work extremely hard on set-plays and are one of the best in the division. We got done by them last season and did again, when we just switched off at the back stick and didn’t get the first contact.

“We have reacted right in the second half, when we had more of the ball and the opportunities, and we got the goal back through Ben Tollitt.

“It was great to see our new stand open and two good sets of supporters both getting behind their team. I don’t think we deserved to lose but if you’re a Fylde person it’s not a good afternoon.”

But Bentley knows full well there’s no time for Fylde to feel sorry for themselves as they prepare to face a Chester side who stand 16th after winning two of this month’s three games.

He added: “With two full-backs and a goalkeeper who are 19 and a 20-year-old centre-half it’s probably too much all at once but they have to learn quickly.

“I thought Philly was excellent when he came on and that was a real plus-point, but we’re in on Monday for a head count and we’ll assess where we re, though there are probably more players in the treatment room and not available than ones who are.

“We need to stop that little difficult run we are on in any way we can, get something from the Chester game and hopefully get some revenge on Chorley in the second game on Sunday.”

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