“Keep doing what we’re doing”: Head coach’s message to AFC Fylde squad after defeat
Craig Mahon has outlined what AFC Fylde have to do when they come up against teams who are tough to break down.
The Coasters’ lead at the top of National League North was cut to one point following their loss against Worksop Town last weekend, coupled with South Shields’ victory over Merthyr Town.
With South Shields having a free midweek, Mahon’s players had been due to try and re-establish a four-point advantage on Tuesday evening.
However, their scheduled home match against Marine was postponed with heavy rainfall causing a waterlogged pitch.
The match has already been rearranged and will take place next Tuesday, March 31 (7.45pm).
Speaking last weekend, Mahon explained what he wants to see from his players when facing stubborn opposition.
He told the club’s media team: “It’s being patient, keep trying to play the way we play.
“Don’t take (the) initiative or don’t try to do something different because we have a system, we have a way of playing.
“I don’t want to take their creativity away because when they get into these zones, that’s when they come alive.
“In the middle areas and when we’re playing out, keep doing what we’re doing, keep doing what we’re good at and when we get up here, that’s when we rely on a little bit of individual quality when you get in front of (the) net.
“There’s loads of variables we could look at but we created chances and on another day, we could have gone in two, three up at half-time.”
Mahon’s selection options at Worksop were also restricted by the unavailability of Alex Healy-Byrne after his injury at Hereford last midweek.
The Fylde boss added: “He’ll be out for the foreseeable, so we’ll wish him a speedy recovery.
“Today, we had a make-up backline but all these lads can play in those positions and that’s not the reason why we lost today at all.
“Max (Taylor) and Ethan (Mitchell) have both played centre-half, Adam’s (Lewis) obviously done that before, Will’s (Lancaster) played at right-back before so it was fine.
“The way they played today, some of the football from the backline was brilliant so although we are missing Alex, it shows that we have a good strength in depth in the backline and we have Corey (Whelan) coming back into the fray.”