AFC Fylde boss Jim Bentley is happy with FA Trophy win against Curzon Ashton

Danny Rowe scored the only goal as they saw off Curzon Ashton at Mill Farm on Saturday.

The Coasters would have been considered clear favourites to progress, given they were at home to a Curzon team at the wrong end of the National League North table.

However, Bentley paid tribute to the visiting side and admitted he felt a tough test was on the horizon for his players.

“It was a big game for us, going into the competition as the holders,” Bentley said afterwards.

“Credit where credit is due, Curzon have done well recently and hadn’t conceded a goal for 433 minutes before today.

“They try and play football the right way, which meant if we could regain it in the middle, we could look to exploit that.”

Bentley had made a number of changes to the side which had played in midweek.

Players including Matty Kosylo and James Craigen were handed starts for a Fylde side who had the chances to win in a more emphatic fashion.

“I thought we were well in control of the game and eventually got the goal to get ourselves ahead,” Bentley said.

“We couldn’t get the second one, though, and that was my one criticism to the lads – we were far too wasteful in front of goal.”