Perfect pitch no match for the rain
AFC FYLDE MAIDSTONE
AFC Fylde have spent a fortune on their Mill Farm Stadium – but did they miss a trick with the pitch?
Fans of 3G will certainly argue so with Maidstone facing a second round trip of 590 miles after Saturday’s game was abandoned.
Fylde’s pitch looked like a carpet, one of the best in the National League.
But it still couldn’t absorb the rain like United’s 3G pitch at the Gallagher, leaving referee Marc Edwards with little choice but to abandon the game after 48 minutes.
Stones were 2-1 down when Edwards took the teams off to see if the rain would ease. Moments later, the match was called off.
There’s been some great games in pouring rain over the years but things change and when the ball is no longer rolling in patches, the officials will always step in these days.
In the first half, the wind was a bigger problem than the rain. United had it in their faces and it was a nightmare to defend against for Lee Worgan and his back four.
Going the other way, unless it was a six-yard pass to feet, the ball would hold up horribly in the wind.
Fylde led on 16 minutes when Sam Finley took a pass through the middle and continued his run before firing into the bottom corner.
Stones levelled in the 25th minute with Joe Pigott played in and coolly beating keeper Jay Lynch. It proved shortlived with Fylde back in front four minutes later following back-to-back corners.
There’d been a warning from the first one when Danny Rowe found himself unmarked and went for goal, with the shot deflected wide.
He was the target for the follow-up, too, turning with his back to goal and aiming for the far post, with team-mate Jack Muldoon getting the final touch on the line.
Lynch made a brilliant save from Pigott as United went close to an equaliser before the break. Maidstone: Worgan, Twumasi, Anderson (Wraight 39mins), Wynter, Finney, Hare, Lewis, Reason, Sam-Yorke, Pigott, Hines. Subs not used: Loza, Paxman, Taylor, ter Horst. Attendance: 1,466.