AFC Fylde host Southport in the FA Trophy last sixteen. Read our match preview and score prediction below.
* Spennymoor (A) 3-2
* Solihull (A) 2-2 PENS
* Hereford (A) 2-2 PENS
Best Finish - Winners
Craig Mahon will be delighted to finally be given a home tie in this competition after three successive away clashes - needing penalties to beat National League Solihull Moors and National League North Hereford. The Coasters will be looking to add to their 2019 success.
AFC Fylde arrive as one of the National League North’s dominant forces once again. They sit second in the table, six points behind leaders South Shields but crucially with a game in hand. Their underlying numbers underline that promotion push: 57 goals scored and just 31 conceded across 27 league matches.
This level of consistency is nothing new for Fylde. They have never finished outside the top three in the National League North, and all signs point to that remarkable record being extended again this season. They also hold the psychological edge in this fixture, having beaten Southport 3–2 earlier in the campaign and remaining unbeaten in the last six meetings between the sides.
Much of their threat comes from 19-year-old Danny Ormerod, a pacy and clinical finisher who already has 17 goals to his name this season. His movement and composure belie his age, and it feels a matter of when, not if, he earns a move into the EFL.
*Buxton (A) 3-2
*Leek (H) 3-1
*Eastleigh (A) 2-0
Best Finish - Runners Up
The Sandgrounders have faced a side at Step 1, 2 and 3 already and will look to beat another Step Two favourite away from home in pursuit of their first ever FA Trophy.
Southport, meanwhile, sit 18th in the table but are showing clear signs of life. Recent weeks have brought a narrow defeat to leaders South Shields, a vital 1–0 win over Merthyr, and an impressive victory away at Bedford. They’ve also taken points off several strong sides including Buxton, Chester, Kidderminster, Radcliffe and AFC Telford, marking them out as a side capable of troubling anyone on their day.
Defensively, consistency remains an issue — Southport have scored 35 and conceded 45 in 28 league games — but momentum is building. Since their relegation in 2017, they have not finished higher than 11th, yet their recent performances suggest they are far from pushovers and very much a team to be wary of.
Versatile 19-year-old Teddy Lavelle who signed from Halifax in the summer will be key if Southport are to spring a surprise. The teenager was recently named in the National League North team of the week.
AFC Fylde 2-1 Southport
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