Fleetwood Town 3 Ashton United 0

Saturday November 24th 2007 UniBond League Premier Division

Crowd 543

Goals: FTFC – Kieran Walmsley, Steve Foster, Nathan Pond

After playing with two wingers and putting seven goals past Warrington Town in the midweek League Cup encounter, Tony Greenwood reverted to a more compact formation for Saturday’s important game against Ashton United. Recent signings Jerome Watt, Shaun Beeley and Peter Wright all featured in the starting line up for what the manager described as a ‘must win’ fixture. With promotion rivals Gateshead, Guiseley and Witton Albion all involved in FA Trophy games, this was an opportunity to convert the game in hand into points on the table and apply a little pressure to the others. Despite the wild weather, 543 members of the Cod Army turned up to witness an excellent display of football on a sticky pitch, and a convincing victory from Fleetwood Town.

Fleetwood kicked off into the gusting wind and quickly settled into their stride. With Robinson and Mercer solid at the heart of the defense, Watt and Walmsley were freed to make threatening runs down the flanks, well supported by Fitzgerald and Beeley, linking up with the willing Wright and Bell. The only surprise of the first half was that it ended goalless. Good strikes from Fitzgerald and Watt, the signature Walmsley volley direct from a Milligan corner, and a penalty shout from Wright, tripped as he rounded the goalkeeper, all came to nothing. Ashton United also had a penalty shout; their only threatening move of the first half.

The second half opened with the same patterns of play. These days, Fleetwood are looking a very confident side and a failure to capitalize on the first half superiority didn’t unsettle them. The fans did not have long to wait for the opening goal, however. Just five minutes into the half Walmsley, again raiding down the right, cut inside for a free run to the edge of the box from where he picked his spot in the corner of the net. As the now heavy pitch began to take its toll, Greenwood sent on a fresh Steve Foster in place of Andy Bell, a move which paid an almost immediate dividend. Foster, through on goal with Wright, opted for a shot which cannoned off the bar. Wright retrieved the ball, which he chipped in for Foster to head past the stranded keeper. This second goal seemed to signal ‘job done’ and Fleetwood cut loose against a tiring Ashton. The carnival atmosphere in the Percy Ronson spread on to the pitch as fan’s favourite, Nathan Pond, after putting a shot narrowly wide of the corner flag then gleefully buried one in the net for Fleetwood’s third. Oh, and Ashton created their first chance near the end.

This was a confident and comprehensive display from Fleetwood; without doubt their best ninety minutes of the season. There was no ‘man of the match’, not unless you can award it to the whole team.

Fleetwood Team: Hale, Beeley, Fitzgerald, Robinson, Mercer (C), Pond, Walmsley (Allen), Milligan, Bell (Foster), Wright (Denney), Watt