Chesterfield's next opponents will be missing promotion-winning defender for Spireites visit

The Spireites take on the newly-promoted Coasters at Mill Farm on Saturday.

Fylde are back at this level after three years in the National League North.

They won promotion after clinching the title on the last day of the season, with former Spireite Joe Rowley scoring the second goal in a 2-0 win at Bradford Park Avenue.

Adam Murray’s men started life in non-league’s top-flight by securing a point at Maidenhead United after coming from 2-0 down to equalise in the last-minute.

And they did it with 10-men, with full-back Connor Barrett sent off in the 85th minute, before Alex Whitmore headed in at the death.

Barrett, 21, played an important part in their promotion last season, making 41 appearances, scoring five goals and grabbing six assists, so he will be a big miss for them.

Boss Murray, a former Stags player, had no complaints about the red card and said the first match back in the National League was a ‘real learning curve’ for his side.

On facing Chesterfield, he said: “We are the newcomers to this league and we look forward to the big games. We will be ready for it.”

Murray, like a lot of managers after the first weekend of the season, raised concerns about the effect the amount of added-on time will have on players.

He explained: "One thing I think the league has to look at quickly is the use of three subs if they expect players to play well over 100 minutes. It is putting player welfare in danger. Every other league can use five subs so it is something that I feel needs to be brought into this league sooner rather than later.”