Jim Bentley: AFC Fylde point at Kettering could be vital

Nick Haughton’s sixth goal of the season was cancelled out from the penalty spot, though the leaders remain unbeaten after five games.

Coasters boss Bentley said: “I don’t think many teams will come here and relish what they are going to come up against, so every credit to the opposition but we are capable of a lot more.

“The pitch didn’t help us and we got caught up in a bit of a battle. Nobody wanted to take a chance at the back with the ball bobbling around.

“Ultimately we want to play good football. We’ve proved that as the league’s top scorers and we created chances today, though probably not as many as the opposition. Our keeper has been worked more than theirs – Chris Neal was excellent.

“Sometimes in football you take what you are given. We wanted to go five wins out of five but it wasn’t to be, so you take the point and quickly move on.

“Maybe we’ll look back and say it was a big point because a lot of teams will come here and struggle. They are a competitive side and we’ve had to match that. We know we can play better football and on another day we will.”

Fylde lost full-back Luke Burke to a groin problem, having already been without Jordan Hulme, Emeka Obi, Danny Philliskirk, Jack Sampson and Nathan Shaw through injury or suspension this season.

Bentley said: “It was a bit bizarre – a crossfield ball Luke was running on to. He took it mid-flight and got the pass away to Ben Tollitt, but it looks like he’s hurt his groin coming down and landing.

“We are light in the full-back areas. There was no natural full-back to replace him, so we had to match them up, go three at the back ourselves and play Ben as right wing-back.

Fylde have been drawn at home to league rivals Spennymoor Town in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup a week on Saturday.

Squires Gate’s reward for defeating North Shields at the weekend is a home tie against Pontefract Collieries of Northern Premier League East.

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