Summer signing Jay Lynch believes that he has grasped his chance between the sticks at AFC Fylde.

The current National League North Goalkeeper of the Year started the season behind first choice stopper Rhys Taylor but has impressed since being thrust into the limelight last month.

Lynch recorded his third clean sheet in four games during the midweek victory over Wrexham and is delighted that his side are now turning performances into results.

“I’m delighted with the result,” said the former Salford custodian. “I think it was our best performance as a group this season. We have been working incredibly hard in training and it was nice to replicate that in a game.

“We have been working on the defensive side of our game so to keep another clean sheet was very pleasing.

“We also looked a threat going forward against a very good side so it just all came together. 

“Three clean sheets in four games has really helped build our confidence. It is encouraging when you see hard work coming off. 

“We were gutted when the game was called off at the weekend but we have made up for that disappointment straight away. 

“I kept working hard whilst I wasn’t in the team and thankfully I got my chance. I feeling like I am making the most of it now.

“We are all really looking forward to the FA Cup game but we have to keep our focus on the league for one more game first. We want another three points at Solihull but we know that won’t be easy.”

And whilst Saturday’s National League encounter against Maidstone may have missed out on a place in the official record books, Coasters stopper Jay Lynch produced a moment of magic that will live long in the memory. 

Soon after Fylde had regained the lead in shocking conditions at Mill Farm, Maidstone striker Joe Pigott, who had already found the net for the visitors, looked certain to grab his second from close range, however Lynch denied the frontman with a fabulous reaction save. 

One home supporter described the stop as ‘the best I’ve ever seen’ and Fylde goalkeeping coach Neil Gillespie shared a similar view. 

Gillespie said: “It was certainly the best save I’ve seen this season. We had just managed to get ourselves back in front so it was an important save as well as a stunning one.

“You only have to look at the reaction of their lads. They thought it was in, as did most of the crowd.

“Jay has been a pleasure to work with since arriving in the summer from Salford. He comes in everyday wanting to learn and develop. 

“You can tell that he has come from a side that prided themselves on clean sheets. He has brought that ethos with him and has two clean sheets in his last three games now. 

“He has settled into life here very well. It helped that he already knew a couple of the lads here. The two goalkeepers, Jay and Rhys, work well together, they bounce off each other and they push each other. Neither of them are the biggest guys, but they are both very athletic. 

“There’s a competitiveness between the two of them because they are both very good goalkeepers and it’s probably a flip of a coin which you would choose.

“Jay has had to bide his team knowing that he’s had a Conference North winning goalkeeper ahead of him but he has got his chance and he is grabbing it with both hands at the moment. 

“He is up there with the very best goalkeepers that I have worked with. As a pairing, we have two of the best goalkeepers in this league. 

“One won the league last season and the other was named in the Team of the Year so that can only stand us in good stead. Hopefully there are plenty more clean sheets to come.”