AFC Fylde manager Dave Challinor insists that the defeat at Tamworth earlier in the season has no bearing on tomorrow’s game.

The Lambs halted Fylde’s 15-match unbeaten start to the season with a narrow 1-0 victory back in October but Challinor is expecting a different game this time around.   

“Looking back at past results is not something that influences my preparation for a game. It is a completely different game now to what it was then at their place.

“Without being too pessimistic, you have to be prepared to lose games at times in a season. The important thing is to react well in those circumstances and we have always done that.

“Some defeats can be damaging but I don’t think we deserved to lose that game in particular. There was nothing in it. Unfortunately we came out on the wrong side of the result on that occasion but there have been times when we have picked up points when perhaps we haven’t deserved to.

“It wasn’t a damaging result to us and it doesn’t really have any impact on tomorrow’s game.

“We play a similar system to Tamworth so I’m not expecting a wide open encounter. Aside from the two centre-halves against the centre-forward, every other player will probably be matched up all over the pitch.

“So whoever wins more of their personal battles is more likely to win the game. We have to make sure we come out on top in those battles and ultimately get another step closer towards where we want to be.”