AFC Fylde look to replacement for injured captain Alex Whitmore

Centre-half Whitmore, only recently returned from a lengthy absence with a hamstring injury, damaged an ankle in Tuesday’s 2-2 draw at Chorley.

Boss Jim Bentley told The Gazette: “With hindsight we should have brought Alex off but he’s a brave lad and he got through the game.

“But when he took his sock off afterwards the ankle was black and blue, and it’s not looking good.”

The Gazette understands Fylde have a replacement lined up ahead of tomorrow’s home clash with Curzon Ashton.

Bentley was “frustrated, angry and down” after Chorley’s stoppage-time equaliser on Tuesday and admitted he felt like “lying in a darkened room for 24 hours”, but the Fylde boss is now ready to take out his frustrations on Curzon at Mill Farm tomorrow.

Not that the Coasters will need any extra motivation against a side who have won their last two home games against Fylde.

Bentley added: “You just have to take the rough with the smooth in this game and keep a positive mindset. Tuesday was a bad night for us and I was disappointed with the second-half performance but we’re hard at work now getting ready for the next challenge.

“Tuesday was a big opportunity for us and we blew it but we have some tasty games coming up.”

They come no tastier than the visit to National League North leaders Gateshead a week tomorrow but first Fylde will be focused on Curzon and ensuring that Gateshead’s advantage over them stretches no further than its current six points.

Curzon’s matches have been high-scoring affairs of late, with 22 goals scored in their last four |National League North outings.

Fylde have plenty of goals in the team but Bentley is still anxious to boost their firepower as his quest for strikers goes on. The Fylde boss added: “Joe Piggott and Stephen Dobbie are still quite a way away. Piggott’s injury is more serious but Dobbie has had a bit of a relapse.

“We’ve been looking for forwards for quite a while and missed out on one this week, who has gone to a National League side from an EFL club, but we do want to get one or two in to give us more firepower.”

AFC Fylde have acted to address “confusion and upset” among supporters no longer permitted to move between stands at the Mill Farm stadium to buy refreshments.

Until the completion of the kiosk in the East Stand, supporters will be granted access to facilities in the new North Stand at half-time.

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