Goals from O'Brien and Dodds not enough as Town drop out of the cup
Fleetwood Town: Alex Cairns, Conor McLaughlin, Amari'i Bell, Eggert Jonsson, Nathan Pond (c) (George Glendon 59), Bobby Grant, Cian Bolger, Joe Davis (Aaron Amandi-Holloway 46), Chris Long, Jack Sowerby (Ashley Hunter 65), Devante Cole
Subs: Chris Neal, David Ball, Victor Nirennold, Alex Jakubiak
Town: Jayson Leutwiler, Mat Sadler, Olly Lancashire, Abu Ogogo, Ivan Toney, Louis Dodds, Jim O'Brien (Ian Black 72), Junior Brown, Dom Smith, Gary Deegan, Adam El-Abd (c)
Subs: Mark Halstead, Joe Riley, Shaun Whalley, Jack Grimmer, George Waring, Ethan Jones
Ref: M Heywood
Assistants: D Plowright and C Ward
Fourth Official: P Graham
Manager Paul Hurst is forced into the one change with Ryan McGivern with a shoulder injury picked up in the win away to Millwall. In comes Olly Lancashire which means that Mat Sadler moves to the left of the defence as Town look to continue in the Emirates FA Cup.
There was an early opening for Town after Sadler picked the ball up in the left back slot, he played a ball down the line towards Dodds, Pond looked to have it covered but Dodds did well to nick the ball and then fire in a shot towards goal but Cairns had it covered and collected.
The home side were getting the ball forward quickly and after Grant rode the challenge of Deegan he drove forward, he then threaded a ball through to Long but luckily for Town his touch was heavy and Leutwiler was able to come and collect.
Junior Brown showed good determination to nick the ball away from his marker and then break down the left, he curled in an inviting ball towards Toney but Pond timed his tackle well to nick the ball away and cut out the danger.
There was a good chance for Town after Dodds lifted the ball over the Fleetwood defence to put Toney in on goal, he got to the box and then cut the ball to get past Cairns but Jonsson had got back to get the challenge ion and the danger was gone.
Town got their noses in front on 42 minutes when a ball through to the forwards saw the Fleetwood defence fail to deal, O'Brien and Toney were there but it was O'Brien who took the ball and then calmly fired a low shot past Cairns to make it 1-0 to Town.
Half-time: 0-1
Town were down to 10 men 5 minutes into the half, a ball over the top found substitute Amandi-Holloway in on goal, he got his shot in which Leutwiler saved but ref Heywood saw a tug from El-Abd and deemed it enough to shot the Town skipper a red card and award Fleetwood a free-kick on the edge of the box. The ball was placed and then laid off to Jonsson but his shot was deflected behind for a corner.
Paul Hurst kept faith in the players on the pitch after El-Abd's dismissal with Junior Brown dropping to left-back and Mat Sadler moving into the centre of defence alongside Olly Lancashire.
Town looked to break with Dodds getting the ball just inside the Town half, Toney was looking to make the run but was cynically rugby tackled by Pond and it was a free-kick for Town and booking for the Fleetwood skipper. Pond couldn't continue and was replaced by George Glendon.
Town took advantage of the changes to the Fleetwood defence and put the pressure on, the ball was with O'Brien and he thread a lovely ball to put Dodds in on the angle and he drove a lovely shot past Cairns to put Town 2-0 up.
Fleetwood grabbed a goal back 5 minutes later when the ball was crossed into the Town box with Devante Cole climbing the highest and heading the ball past Leutwiler to pull the score back to 2-1.
Paul Hurst made his first change on 72 minutes with Ian Black coming on to replace Jim O'Brien, he'd picked up a booking a few minutes earlier so looked like a quick like for like decision.
Fleetwood were back on level terms when a free-kick was driven into the Town box, Long was there and knocked it down and there was Devante Cole in the right place to smash the ball home to make it 2-2.
Town weathered the storm from Fleetwood and then began to look to start creating chances and take the game back to Fleetwood.
There were chances for both sides but 10 men Town were ending the game strongly with a call for a handball and then a big shout for a penalty after Toney went down in the Fleetwood penalty box after looking to get on the end of a good ball.
It was the home side who grabbed the late goal after a quick counter that saw them move the ball quickly down the right and get it to Long who put in a low cross and there was Hunter to turn the ball home at the near post to make it 3-2.
Town were awarded a free-kick with moments to go, Deegan put it to Toney on the edge of the box, it came back to Deegan who put it back in to Brown, he played it to Dodds who got a shot in but it hit the post and then the ball was just behind Toney and he couldn't connect.
Full-time: 3-2