AFC Fylde manager Dave Challinor believes tomorrow’s clash with rivals North Ferriby United will be pivotal in the race for second place in the National League North.
The Coasters currently sit in the runners-up spot, one point ahead of Ferriby and Challinor hopes to go on step closer to promotion with three points against their in-form visitors.
“Both sides are probably two wins from securing their place in the play-offs but it’s still not a given. It’s not easy to pick up results in this league.
“We still have to play teams in and around us and North Ferriby are right up there at the moment. They have the same ambitions as us to finish second and tomorrow could have a big say in that. There is still a long way to go and things could change but if there is a winner on the day then it will put that club in pole position for the runners-up spot.
“We are a completely different team to the one that got beat 3-0 at their place earlier in the season. We lost the game and deservedly so. We are in a better position going into the game this time around with far less injury problems. Both central defenders missed the trip and that put us at a massive disadvantage.
“They are a tough team to play against and we have to accept the fact that they are going to put pressure on us and get the ball forward. Denton is a handful but we have threats ourselves and we have to make sure we produce a performance that we are capable of.”
Fylde made it eight games unbeaten following the 1-1 draw at Stalybridge during midweek and Challinor admits draws may prove costly again.
“We have put together a decent run of results and I don’t think performances have differed an awful lot during that time.
“We have played to our potential in some of those games – the Boston game springs to mind in that sense and of course Stockport on Easter Monday.
“They are the games that it has clicked in but there have been other games where we perhaps could have done a little better. Stalybridge on Tuesday was an example of that. If we had taken the chances that we created then we could it could have been a similar scoreline to the home game against them earlier in the season (Fylde won 5-0).
“Last season the draws we had ultimately cost us promotion and although we only drew 10 games, a lot of them were towards the end of the season. Draws are okay if you can back them up with wins so it’s frustrating not to have done that this week.”
Striker Matt Blinkhorn could return to the squad tomorrow after recovering from tonsillitis, however full-back Adam Sumner is a doubt after picking up an ankle injury at Bower Fold.