AFC Fylde boss wants to be better at the back

The Coasters began a month of four away trips in six matches with a 3-1 victory at Dorking Wanderers last weekend.

Scoring goals hasn’t been a problem for the Fylde squad this season with 45 netted in their 30 matches so far.

Instead, the issue has been at the other end with 53 conceded; though that’s a marked improvement from the position when Beech succeeded Adam Murray in early October.

That was 15 games in with Fylde having conceded 35 times in the opening third of the campaign and unable to keep a clean sheet.

Beech has now overseen 15 league matches, during which the Coasters have only conceded 18 times and recorded four shutouts.

When asked how he explained the turnaround, the club’s head coach told The Gazette: “We were due to be relegated with a goals conceded column of 115 or something like that.

“You’ve got to look at what’s good and what’s not so good.

“It isn’t just the defenders, everyone keeps a clean sheet in the same way everyone scores a goal.

“We’ve had four clean sheets now when we didn’t have any before, so we’re in a good place.

“It isn’t just down to Theo (Richardson, Fylde keeper), although he has played well, but we’re in a situation where there is still room for improvement.

“I would like it (goals conceded) to be less than a goal a game on average because that helps add up to winning performances.”

Fylde had warmed up for last weekend’s win with an eye-catching defeat of second-placed Bromley.

Their performance attracted the attention of Bromley veteran Byron Webster, a player whom Beech managed at Carlisle United.

He added: “Byron commented on a young, dynamic team playing fast football against them and he complimented the result and performance.

“For that to happen from an opposition player makes you feel good but I want to push on and grow.

“We can score more goals and what we have to do, especially in the month of February, is have a mindset that’s stronger.

“Most of our games are away, they’re overnight stays, but I’m ready for it.”