AFC Fylde striker Jordan Hulme loaned to Ashton United for game-time after lengthy suspension

The frontman recently returned to the Fylde side, having been suspended for the first six games of the season, but he was omitted from the matchday squad for last weekend’s victory over Kidderminster Harriers.

Manager Jim Bentley believes the player needs gametime and can best achieve that over the coming weeks away from Mill Farm.

Bentley told The Gazette: “Jordan is a player we like, he trains well and is a good character.

“But with his suspension, his season has not really got going and he needs games.

“We only have three matches in the next 28 games days but Ashton have six.

“Hopefully he can play some games and come back in better form to affect our first team.

“He needs to churn out a couple of 90 minutes and that’s difficult for him here at the minute because we have a lot of options in the attacking areas.

“The decision has been taken in the best interests of the player and the club. Playing games for another club will stand him in good stead to come back more like the Jordan we know.”

Fylde’s FA Cup exit at Spennymoor Town has left them without a fixture this weekend, when the third qualifying round will be played.

A couple of National League North fixtures have been arranged for tomorrow by clubs out of the cup but leaders Fylde were unable to fix one up.

Bentley added: “I’d rather still be in the cup but we did try to rearrange a league game and I’m disappointed.

“When your momentum is good, the players want to keep playing and potentially we could have put some distance between ourselves and the chasing pack if we had a game.

“We looked at a possible home or away game against another team out of the cup. It’s better to get a game out of the way now than in January or February but we couldn’t bring one forward.”

Blackpool’s North West Counties League clubs face mid-table opposition tomorrow.

Squires Gate head to Prestwich Heys in the premier division looking to build on Tuesday’s 4-1 win over high-flying Longridge Town, while AFC Blackpool are at home to Chadderton in first division north.

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