Boss wants new signing ‘Fiz’ to add sparkle up front for for Fylde

Striker Fisayo Adarabioyo is on stand-by for a possible AFC Fylde debut at home to Curzon Ashton this afternoon.
Fisayo AdarabioyoFisayo Adarabioyo
Fisayo Adarabioyo

The Coasters are confident the Kellamergh Park clash in Vanarama National North will go ahead and have registered former Manchester City trainee Adarabioyo as a member of their squad to boost their limited attacking options.

The 20-year-old left City in the summer of 2013, then joined Birmingham City before spending last season with Crystal Palace’s U21s.

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‘Fiz’ began the current campaign with non-league Macclesfield Town and has spent the past month training with Fylde.

Manager Dave Challinor explained: “He has great pedigree and just needs to get back playing.

“He’s keen to get back into action, but because of his fitness and the weather there haven’t been any opportunities for him yet.

“Registering him before Christmas was a case of needs- must because we have Matty Hughes injured and Danny Lloyd has been ill.

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“Danny Blinkhorn will be involved against Curzon but hasn’t played a massive amount of football lately, so Fiz gives us another option.

“We’ve come through a shortage of defenders and now we aren’t over-blessed with forwards.

“It’s a non-contract, pay-as-you-play deal with Fiz, but he has done really well in training and we’ll wait and see if it develops into something longer-term.

“He’s a big, strong lad, with good technique and pace, and most importantly he has fitted into the group well.”

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After the rain washed out Fylde’s Boxing Day derby at Chorley and most other professional and amateur fixtures around the North-West, Challinor is confident the 3pm clash with mid-table Curzon will go ahead.

The Coasters boss added: “Our pitch drains really well and we could have played on it on Sunday, so provided there isn’t much overnight rain we are very hopeful.

“We were able to train on Sunday morning and we’re in good shape for Curzon.

“We don’t like to have games postponed but hopefully there is a plus side in that we will have more bodies available when those games are rearranged.

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“Certainly we couldn’t have risked anyone for the Skelmersdale replay (in the FA Trophy second round) had it gone ahead last Tuesday, but hopefully we can now field a stronger side over there (the tie has been rescheduled for a week tomorrow).

Fylde remain fourth in Vanarama National North and are three points behind new leaders Solihull Moors, who replaced Nuneaton by beating them 3-1 on Boxing Day.

The Coasters were boosted by promotion rivals North Ferriby’s 2-0 defat at Gainsborough on Saturday.

Today’s opponents Curzon were also rained off on Boxing Day, when they were due to entertain Stalybridge Celtic.

Curzon won their last league game, 1-0 against Telford, back on December 5 and have since defeated high-flying Nuneaton 3-1 in the FA Trophy a fortnight ago.