1 | Andy Bell heads against the bar for Nathan Pond to score.
2 | Mark Wilson brings down Steve Foster, but nothing is given!
3 | Referee McLaughlin explains the decision to Steve Foster.
4 | And then explains it to the bench, suggesting that the stand may offer a better view.
5 | Jamie Milligan's penalty nestles in the corner of the net.
6 | Phil Denney and Alex Taylor battle the Bucks backs.

The Bucks arrive at Highbury this afternoon for the first time since September 1993 and I hope that the weather is a bit more hospitable than what we had to endure eleven days ago at Silverlands. Mind you the 2-0 result was what really counted and we were well on top after half time and only their goalkeeper stood between them and a good walloping!  

Buxton, like us, have had their ups and downs over the years but two successive promotions have brought us together once more. This will be our twentieth league clash and these are the previous results which are all from the Premier Division: 

So Buxton have been very much in the driving seat looking at those figures. At least we have stopped the rot now and let’s hope we can further improve the record this afternoon. They had a wash out on Tuesday night so they will be keen to get going again after some recent iffy results. On the same night Gateshead dropped two points at Stamford so our position could not be much stronger really.  

I have actually got a copy of the programme from that last home meeting fifteen years ago with the grand attendance of 157. Times were obviously hard then because it is combined with the Droylsden programme from five days earlier. It cost 60p to purchase but, apart from the Northern Premier League news items it was mainly adverts. The team (as per programme) was: MacDonald, Thomasson, Wilson, McComb, Haydock, Gough, Moran, Allen, Madden, Hughes (scorer) and Summers.  Substitutes: Boal and Gallagher. 

Last Saturday’s game against Stamford was the usual Highbury nail biter. Why we keep giving teams easy goals at home is beyond me and it makes the game so hard to turn around. What a huge relief when Fozzie tapped the ball into the net right at the death for our 97th goal of the season. Bell and Milligan were superb again and wasn’t it nice to finally have a penalty kick awarded? Well done, by the way, to the lads at the back of the Park End who kept singing even when the rest of us were in despair at Stamford’s equaliser. Of course we have to face them again in a couple of weeks - well I don’t actually as I have to go to London that day. Yes I admit it, I am ashamed to miss a game but I will be there in spirit and via the mobile. We may have a better idea of things by then, although I wouldn’t bet on it! 

The game at Lincoln was always going to be a tough one even though they were rock bottom. On the night they tried hard early on and their keeper kept it to 0-0 at half time. Town, once again, were able to up the tempo and once Andy Bell  headed the opener there was only one team in it. The keeper twice denied him his hat trick which would have been doubly sweet as it would have been our 100th of the season. That honour finally fell to substitute Alex Taylor just before the end. Andy’s work rate is amazing; what a fantastic player! He now has fourteen goals, Phil Denney twelve and Alex Taylor ten. Jamie Milligan needs just one more for number twenty. 

We have no game, for a change, on Tuesday but Witton are at home to Frickley, who will be desperate to win. That game is scheduled to be shown live on NPLtv and, whatever today’s result, will be compulsive viewing. So let’s hope we can do the business this afternoon and travel to Stamford in good heart. Not having conceded an away goal for nine hours should be the cause of some optimism you would think. Our final away game will be at Leek, on Tuesday 22nd. April, yet another team trying to claw their way out of the mire - and not just their pitch! That game will probably be one of the hardest of the season for the Cods.
 

Bright spring sunshine, a top four clash and promotion hopes all resulted in a record-breaking crowd at Highbury Stadium on Saturday. A total of 1,074 supporters took in the UniBond Premier League fixture and all but around 100 visitors went home satisfied. It was a week of mixed gate records for Town - Tuesday’s away victory at Lincoln United attracted just 110 supporters which was the lowest Fleetwood had played in front this season. Injuries and fatigue figure with teams at all levels at this stage of the season and Fleetwood Town are no different. The physio team of Steve Macauley and Danny Moore have been kept busy at the treatment table. Warren Beattie (cheek bone) should be able to figure in first team plans, as he played in the reserves during mid-week. Jez Fitzgerald (Hamstring) and Kieran Walmsley (foot) remain sidelined.

"We have got the hardest run in by a mile. We've got Fleetwood away, Gateshead twice and Marine. We will certainly get tested to the limit,” admitted Buxton manager John Reed prior to kick-off. Following their mid-week home defeat against Fleetwood two weeks ago, Buxton were held 1-1 at home to fellow play off contenders Eastwood Town last Saturday.

The game started at a fast pace and both sides won early corners. Nathan Pond headed away the Buxton threat on 4 minutes, whilst Jerome Watt had his shot deflected out from Town’s first corner on 8 minutes. Fleetwood made the most of the opening pressure when Nathan Pond polished off a Jamie Milligan free kick on 11 minutes, firing in the rebound after Andy Bell hit the bar. Buxton maintained their efforts and Danny Hurst in the home goal needed to kick clear on 17 minutes when Buxton skipper Anton Foster closed on his goal. The visitors built on this move a few minutes later when Dave Henry rounded Shaun Beeley but Phil Robinson provided cover. Andy Bell and Phil Denney continued their sound work rate upfront but couldn’t breakdown the Buxton defence. Town were lucky on the half hour mark when a mix-up between Beeley and Robinson could have been costly. Jerome Watt was denied a penalty when he met Denney’s flick-on. Watt cleverly clipped over Buxton’s Mark Lees and continued his run into the box only to find himself upended. The referee judged Lees had made a good challenge to the dismay of the Town players and Cod Army. Buxton had the upper hand in the first period with Anton Foster earning his armband with a strong skipper’s display. The visitors endeavour was rewarded on 42 minutes when Neil Ross headed on an attacking cross. Michael Towey found space in the six-yard box and tapped home. Jamie Milligan did respond by rattling the woodwork on the stroke of half time, but Buxton when into the break with heads held high.

Town looked more promising from the start of the second period. Andy Bell met a quick Milligan free kick and was grounded in the box but denied a spot kick. Phil Robinson was again on hand 10 minutes into the half when he frustrated goal scorer Towey. Steve Foster replaced a tiring Phil Denney on 56 minutes and immediately imposed himself. Alex Taylor, an earlier substitution for the injured Jerome Watt on 38 minutes, continued a solid display in the second half. He made space on 65 minutes but Hartley palmed his shot wide. The ball landed at the feet of Nathan Pond who could only slice high over the bar. Danny Hurst showed his class on 62 minutes by producing two class stops in the same move. He delivered an excellent block at his left post and immediately found his way across the goal face to palm away a match winning save. By this point, Fleetwood had take the ascendancy and Andy Moran replaced Michael Brown on 72 minutes. Moran’s contribution further stretched Buxton and Fleetwood pressed to attack space in the last third. Tony Greenwood had earlier made his intention clear by naming three strikers on the bench and this gamble finally paid off. Foster had proved vital  in his last three games and continued the same form. His darting and direct play resulted in a strong penalty claim in the last 10 minutes but was denied by the referee. Mr McLaughlin had no hesitation three minutes later when Foster was brought down in front of him. Milligan stepped up and made no mistake. Although Buxton remained dangerous in the closing minutes, Fleetwood had done enough to collect three points, take second place for the season and maintain the pressure at the top.

FLEETWOOD TOWN won their game in hand at LINCOLN UNITED on Tuesday to move to within just one point of season long Premier Division leaders WITTON ALBION going in to the weekend programme where both contenders registered home victories by the odd goal to maintain the status quo. GATESHEAD virtually assured themselves of home advantage in the play-offs with a win against PRESCOT CABLES who dropped in to the relegation spots as a result. But it looks like any two from BUXTON, EASTWOOD and GUISELEY for the other two play-off places after MARINE lost at WHITBY TOWN. Fleetwood’s 3-0 win over Lincoln confirmed the latter’s relegation and it is now just two from eleven as to who accompanies Lincoln in the drop with LEEK TOWN keeping their chances of escape alive with a 5-0 midweek defeat of KENDAL TOWN whilst STAMFORD also gleaned a point against high flying GATESHEAD. Leek, however, then lost at home to Stamford for whom it was a first win in ten whilst NORTH FERRIBY UNITED moved out of bottom three with victory at LINCOLN UNITED.
 

FleetwoodTownFC.com || Match Archives 07/08