AFC Fylde vs Sutton United
Saturday 7th April, 2018, k/o 3pm
Mill Farm
Vanarama National League
AFC Fylde could make a huge step towards securing their place in the National League Play-Offs tomorrow when high-flying Sutton United come to town!
The Coasters leapfrogged Dover Athletic into seventh place on Tuesday night following victory over rivals Barrow.
Jonny Smith put the Coasters into the driving seat in the opening period, just four days after producing similar in a victory over Halifax Town, only for Barrow’s Nathan Waterston to level before the break.
However, old boy Danny Rowe came back to haunt his previous employers with a well-taken strike midway through the second period. 17-year-old substitute Serhat Tasdemir put the icing on the cake with the final kick of the game to lift Dave Challinor’s side into the promotion places with just five games to go.
Fylde still have three clubs breathing heavily down their necks. Dover are just a point behind, whilst Ebbsfleet United and Bromley are four and five points behind respectively with two games in hand.
However, if the Coasters were to win all of their five remaining games, none would be able to stop Challinor’s troops extending their season into May.
Sutton have enjoyed an equally successive season. After a top-half finish last year, Paul Doswell’s side find themselves in second place, all but sure of a play-off spot and still with one eye on catching league leaders Macclesfield Town.
Their title hopes suffered a damaging blow last time out when they were thrashed 3-0 at home by Bromley to make it two defeats from three following a disappointing defeat at Maidstone in mid-March.
A disastrous first-half minute condemned ten-man AFC Fylde to their defeat at Sutton earlier in the season.
The hosts hit the Coasters with two quick-fire goals in an otherwise evenly-contested first half and to make matters worse, midfielder Lewis Montrose was shown his second red card in the space of seven days.
Fylde centre-half Simon Grand pulled one back for the Coasters during a late onslaught however Sutton held their nerve to claim the points back in October.
Red hot frontman Danny Rowe strengthened his claim for the top goalscorer award on Tuesday – his strike moving him on to 23 in the league this season, four ahead of Tranmere’s Andy Cook.
Follow all the build-up and live match action via our Facebook page or minute by minute updates on Twitter (@AFCFYLDE)
Don’t forget to pick up your official matchday programme at the game, packed with all the latest news and views, action and reaction.
Team news:
AFC Fylde: Left-back Zaine Francis-Angol faces a late fitness test after picking up a back injury against Halifax last weekend. Midfielder Jake Lawlor, brought on for his Coasters debut at Barrow, will be hoping to make his first Mill Farm appearance following his loan switch from Guiseley.
Fixtures:
AFC Fylde vs Sutton United
Aldershot Town vs Maidenhead United
Bromley vs Gateshead
Chester vs Tranmere Rovers
Dagenham and Redbridge vs Woking
Dover Athletic vs Torquay United
Eastleigh vs Wrexham
Ebbsfleet United vs Macclesfield Town
FC Halifax Town vs Boreham Wood
Guiseley vs Maidstone United
Hartlepool United vs Solihull Moors
Leyton Orient vs Barrow
Admission:
Seated: Adults: £16 non-member / £13 member
Juniors: £9 non-member / £8 member
Standing: Adults: £13 non-member / £11 member
Juniors: £5 non-member / FREE member
Click here for tickets.
