Margy relishing taking on 'fantastic' Fylde for a place in FA Trophy quarter-finals

FC United manager Karl Marginson has praised AFC Fylde as ‘fantastic’ ahead of Saturday’s FA Trophy showdown but believes our players - and supporters - can cause another cup upset as the two teams go head-to-head for a place in the quarter-finals.

Margy, who has no new injury concerns to contend with - other than a groin strain of his own, went to watch The Coasters on Tuesday night and was very impressed with what he saw. Our opponents comprehensively defeated AFC Telford United 4-0 at Kellamergh Park to record their 10 consecutive victory and win the right to take on the Reds.

Margy joked: “They’re a bit good aren’t they?" Before adding: "No, they played some fantastic football against Telford, they have got some great players and they like to play it out from the back. A lot of credit has got to go to Dave Challinor (manager) and Colin Woodthorpe (assistant manager) for the way they have got them playing."

Our opponents aren’t just enjoying an incredible run of recent form, they have been flying high all season since recovering from two defeats in their first three matches. The Coasters are currently five points clear at the top of the Conference North with a game in hand. They haven’t been defeated since 8th November and that came against League Two opposition - Plymouth Argyle in the first round proper of the FA Cup.

Fylde have lost just three other matches this season, all in the league and away from home to Stalybridge Celtic, Lowestoft Town and Boston United. Other than those defeats, the only blemish on an impeccable record is a somewhat surprising penalty shoot-out defeat in the Lancashire FA Trophy by North West Counties Division Two side Holker Old Boys.

Margy said: “They are on a really impressive run but so are we, so it’s got all the makings of a really good tussle. The one thing that they don’t have though is our fans. I know I always say it but it makes a huge difference to our players. Forget about being the 12th man, our supporters can be the 13th, 14th and all the way up to the 2,000th man.

“The way our supporters get behind the team no matter what, even if we go a goal down, means a lot to the players. Chorley away recently is the perfect example. We were 2-0 down at halftime but we always knew we were still in it because we were attacking the goal our supporters were behind in the second half and they were virtually sucking the ball into the net.???

In the FA Trophy, as well beating Telford, Fylde have made no mistake against Hednesford Town winning 3-2 and Gainsborough Trinity 3-0, all at Kellamergh Park. Backed by millionaire businessman and Blackpool FC fanatic David Haythornthwaite, Managing Director of Tangerine Holdings, the Coasters have enjoyed a meteoric rise. Last season, only their second in the Evo-Stik Premier Division, they finished three points behind FC United but won the play-off final after beating Ashton United on penalties.

They have also achieved Wembley successes in their 27 year history. In 2008, in their last ever game as Kirkham & Wesham before being rebranded, the club won the FA Vase by beating Lowestoft Town 2–1 in front of 19,537 supporters. Trailing 1-0 with 11 minutes to go, a 17-year-old Matt Walwyn came off the bench to score twice in an incredible last six minutes.

The good news of course is that Walwyn is now coming off the bench to score important goals for FC United – not least the winner in our epic 3-2 stoppage time victory over Barwell in the third qualifying round of the FA Trophy at the beginning of December. More good news is that the Reds have a decent record against Fylde – two wins, one draw and one defeat. The last time the two teams met was an eventful encounter in December 2013 when FC United won 2-0 with goals from Greg Daniels and Callum Byrne coming in each half.

The match saw striker Michael Norton play the entire second half in goal in place of the injured James Spencer, 13 minutes of stoppage-time due to the referee also coming a cropper, a stand in official being plucked from the crowd, and the Reds being locked out of their dressing room at half-time. This was all after several hundred supporters decided to boycott the match over a fallout about FC United’s allocation for backroom staff. Hopefully, a line has been drawn under that episode and both clubs have moved on.

FC United of Manchester versus AFC Fylde is this Saturday at Curzon’s Ashton’s Tameside Stadium with a traditional and supporter friendly kick-off time of three o’clock. It’s pay on the gate as usual with prices voted for by our members - £8 for adults, £5 for concessions, and £2 for under-18s. Get yourself to that football ground and get behind the players as we play for a place in the quarter finals of the FA Trophy.