'He had a big part to play' - AFC Fylde boss unhappy with referee in defeat to Chesterfield

Beech, who was booked, seemed to be of the opinion that Crusham was influenced by the home crowd during the game. He also said that he was told the Spireites’ fourth goal, scored by Ash Palmer, was not over the line.

"We were the furniture today and part of the party that we were not meant to be at but I am pleased because the lads gave everything,” Beech said.

"I am not blaming the ref for the overall result but he had a big part to play in it and we tried our best to go against it. I said to the referee that he will be sat at home having his curry with the missus tonight, and I will be having mine, but there is a massive difference to the way you have done a day’s work. He did not mean to do it, there is no malice in it, 7,000 people, it is just the way it goes.

"Cooky said to me while the game was going on that their fourth goal doesn’t go in, their analysis, so he says, he feels it didn’t go in. It is very difficult when there are 7,000-8,000 people and we are part of the furniture at a party we shouldn’t be at and we are trying our best to reprsent us in it but everybody can’t wait to support them. Maybe one day we will be that team. I am so proud of the players because they went back against the shirt pulls and the non-booking aspect of the ref for them.

"The linesman couldn’t wait to flag to say goal on the fourth one. I think he gave it before Palmer headed it! People will say I am full of excuses but I am really not. I am really proud of the lads.”

Chesterfield led 1-0 at half-time and 3-0 before the hour. Danny Ormerod had a penalty saved before scoring moments later, before the Spireites added a fourth.

On the performance, Beech said: “I felt like the lads were very good, very resilient, great structure. Chesterfield found it very hard playing against us. They definitely weren’t totally on top of us.

"We had breakaways like their first goal – we had Nick Haughton’s shot, we had Jonathan Ustabasi in but he stood on the ball. It was the same thing they got four or five minutes after they got their first goal and that is a big point in the game.

“We put Chesterfield under pressure but we couldn’t quite get the second goal to make them nervous.”