Town 0 Fleetwood Town 2
Town starting 11: Luke Burton, Zac Hartley (Aris), Dan Walker, Tom Davies, Luke Ward, Callum Wilson, Lewis Redding (Bell), Lewis Duberry (Thomas), Thomas Bloxham, Ryan Grosvenor, Fabio Sangare.
Subs – Jaden Bevan, William Thomas, Jacob Bell, Jenson Cooper, Nigel Aris.
Fleetwood starting 11: Scott Pengelly, Liam Goldsborough, Billy Batch, Dylan Boyle, Lewis Patterson, Sam Barrett, Shayden Morris (Collins), Anthony Williams, Kian Makepeace, Jamie Cooke (Hayes), Carl Johnston.
Subs – Shaun Sithole, Johnathon Borwick, Cian Hayes, Enock Takpe, Joe Collins.
First Half
Fleetwood almost took an early lead in spectacular fashion after a thunderous strike from Cooke crashed against the bar and back into play. Town quickly regained their shape and looked to create their own attack.
Callum Wilson provided a wonderful cross in the 18th minute from the right-wing across the 6-yard line, several Town bodies poured forward to try and get a touch to the ball but it glanced past them all.
Hartley attempted an ambitious shot from 25 yards out which worried the keeper, he dived to his left but the shot flew past the post.
Town had a handball appeal waved away when Bloxham had a shot from corner delivery that appeared to strike the defenders hand from close range.
Following the handball appeal Town kept the pressure on with several corners leading to blocked shots from inside the box.
Second Half
Fleetwood started the second half similar to how they did in the first this time making the most of their attacking move when number 9 Makepeace converted from close range.
Sangare created the first attacking move of the half for Town as he carried the ball from the halfway line and into the box and looked to find Bloxham with a cross but his cross took a deflection forcing the keeper to tip the ball over the bar for a corner.
Town later found themselves two down after an error left Williams one on one with Burton. Williams did well to dummy the keeper and knock the ball past him as he slid the ball into an open net.
Cooper showed composure as he held off his man and stroked the ball past the keeper into the net from a long ball over the top. Town celebrated but the linesman was quick to raise his flag for offside.
Town earned themselves a long throw-in deep into Fleetwood’s half. Davies got on the end of the delivery and managed to get a shot on target but wasn’t able to find enough power to trouble the keeper.
Walker was shown a yellow for Town as Fleetwood looked to break from a Town corner. Burton got the call to run up and join the corner but it was headed clear and Walker had no choice but to bring his man down to prevent Fleetwood scoring a third.
Town looked the stronger side after going two down but it was too little too late as they struggled to find the net despite long periods in the final third.