1 | Andy Bell points!
2 | In the absence of pies - who is this gourmet?
3 | Milligan's devastating corners were a feature of the game Here everyone gets into position.....
4 | .....for Andy Bell to nod in the first goal
 

Following Saturday’s last minute winner by Steve Foster, Fleetwood Town made the long journey to Lincoln United. Jez Fitzgerald (hamstring) joined long-term absentee Warren Beattie (cheekbone) on the injury list. Victory tonight would put Town one point behind leaders Witton Albion and level on games played. The Lincolnshire side were on the wrong end of a 1-0 score line at Highbury back in November thanks to a Jamie Milligan goal. It was all or nothing for the basement club as defeat tonight meant relegation from the UniBond Premier League. Lincoln United boss Mark Shaw conceded before kick-off that his side are staring the drop in the face following there 3-2 UniBond League Premier Division defeat against Ossett on Saturday. "It is a do or die situation. If we lose we will be relegated. The lads know that and they will want to show that they deserve to stay in this division," said Shaw going into the game.

Both sides spent the first 20 minutes testing each other without any firm threats on goal. Shaun Beeley and Phil Robinson broke down an early Lincoln threat on 11 minutes. Phil Denney collected Jamie Milligan’s long clearance from deep in the Fleetwood half, but could only fire straight at Lee Walker in the home goal. Andy Bell was brought down near the corner flag on 20 minutes and Walker tipped the resulting free kick easily over the bar. Town keeper Danny Hurst connected cleanly under pressure to clear from the edge of his box as Lincoln pushed forward. United did show some fight and did not look like a team battling for their Premier League survival. The main period of pressure on the Fleetwood goal came on the half-hour mark when Lincoln won a series of corners. The biggest threat came when Hurst failed to collect one ball and was rescued by Beeley hooking off the line. Nathan Pond did not make the most of a number of chances, the closest headed over the bar from a Milligan free-kick, Fleetwood did move forward but chances were limited by the gap between the midfield and forward line. The relatively empty Ashby Avenue echoed the lifeless first half. The crowd of 110 was the lowest Fleetwood had played in front of this season.

The second period stated with Fleetwood taking hold of the game and Lincoln looking resigned to the drop. Town edged forward with Michael Brown's attacking throw on 49 minutes, only for Jerome Watt to send the cross too deep. Brown figured again to win a corner after rounding Lincoln captain Gary Walters. The visitors continued to push forward but a definite sense of purpose was lacking. Andy Bell showed his side's frustration on 55 minutes with an over optimistic dig at goal that went well wide. Lincoln then had their only real period of pressure in the second half when Chris Adam was allowed too much time in the Fleetwood box but ended lacking options. Steve Wooley then took United's best attempt on goal when he was given enough space to fire a swerving shot straight at Hurst. Shaun Gray's forward run on 63 minutes ended with a Town free kick. Milligan supplied an accurate delivery for Andy Bell and his header made no mistake.

The visitors maintained pressure, with Denney and Bell showing the best of their partnership. The Fleetwood weight paid off, with Lee Walker taking a large part of the blame for Bell's second goal. Milligan met a poor goal kick and then supplied a superb ball for Bell to fire home. It wasn't all Fleetwood and Ricky Mercer was forced to make an important interception shortly after Bell's second. Alex Taylor came on for Jerome Watt on 83 minutes and didn't take long to put away his tenth of the season and Fleetwood's third. Nathan Pond collected the ball inside his own half and allowed Steve Foster, who had earlier replaced Denney, to put a well placed cross into the Lincoln area. Taylor was there to meet the ball and clock-up Fleetwood Town's 100th competitive goal of the season. Despite conceding three times, Lee Walker prevented a rout with a series of fine saves.

It was very much a game of mixed fortunes. Fleetwood Town will go into Saturday's home fixture against Buxton only one point behind the top spot whilst Lincoln United will be counting the cost of an unsettled season in which they have fielded some 61 players, employed 3 managers and found themselves relegated.

A dominant second half from title-chasing Fleetwood Town confirmed Lincoln United’s inevitable relegation from the UniBond League Premier Division at Ashby Avenue last night. The Fisherman outclassed Mark Shaw’s Whites in a dominant half, following an even first period, where the Whites competed admirably. However, United’s resistance was broken in the 63rd minute when Andrew Bell was un-marked at the back post. An exquisite second from Bell followed eight minutes later before substitute Alex Taylor completed the victory, securing a precious three points for the visitors, who edge closer to leaders Witton Albion.

Mark Shaw’s named a depleted squad for the ‘do or die’ fixture, with himself included on the substitute’s bench. Karl Colley was absent along with Adam Tyler, Laurence Hall, Mark Ashton and Andy Potter from Saturday’s defeat at Ossett Town. Shaw also handed a debut to former Lincoln City youngster Jack Cotton, who, in a difficult first game, applied himself soundly.

United began the game at a high-tempo, combatively matching Fleetwood in every department, and looking determined to avoid, or at least delay, United’s first relegation since their demotion from the Yorkshire League’s top-tier in the 1978/79 campaign. The first chance of the match fell to the Whites when a Steve Woolley cross eventually dropped for Grahame Epps, whose effort sailed over the bar. However, Fleetwood then began to impose themselves on the match and really should have taken the lead after 10 minutes. Jerome Watt’s corner was met by Richard Mercer, who, from United’s point-of-view was inexcusably un-marked, Mercer’s effort bouncing over the bar. Moments later, a Watt effort was the culmination of a great passage of play from the visitors, with the Whites again showing themselves to being far too susceptible to balls over the top of their defence, a feature all too common over the past few weeks. United then had their best chance of the half when Epps’ effort was blocked behind for a corner. From the resulting Chris Adam corner, the ball found its way out to the excellent Tom Mallinson outside the penalty area. Mallinson’s precise centre was deflected goalwards by Leon Wainman, however the effort was hacked away off the goal line by Shaun Gray. Fleetwood concluded the half the stronger and should have taken the lead on 35 minutes. From a free-kick midway into United’s half, Adam nonchalantly lost his marker Michael Brown, who, now with time and space to place his cross, found the imposing physical presence of Nathan Pond. However, Pond headed wide. Seconds later, after Adam was dis-possessed, Brown’s teasing centre evaded everyone until Watt forced Leigh Walker into an excellent reaction save at the back post. Then, on the stroke of half time, persistent play from Mercer enabled him to unleash a terrific 30-yard strike, which Walker tipped over expertly.

The visitors began their domination of this half with considerable purpose as they aimed to cut Witton’s lead to a solitary point at the top of the table. Several threatening corners, with incredible delivery from captain Jamie Milligan’s left foot, nearly brought the opener as did Milligan’s cross-shot, which forced an acrobatic stop from Walker. Fleetwood did then take a deserved lead, when, from another excellent Brown free-kick delivery, three players were literally queuing up at the back post un-marked to nod past Walker. The ball was closer to Bell, whose goal evoked serious concerns and questions about United’s marking from set pieces. Eight minutes later, the Fisherman made it 2-0 when directly from a poor Walker goal-kick, Brown found Bell, who struck a beautiful goal, an exquisite finish from 20 yards out, which nestled into the bottom right-hand corner. The visitors were now creating openings with seeming ease and the hosts were indebted to Walker for making several saves which kept the score respectable. He thwarted efforts from Bell, denying him his hat-trick, and the impressive Brown before being powerless to stop the third and final goal. Three minutes from time, a high looped deflected cross from substitute Steven Foster caused further problems for United’s rearguard, as fellow replacement Taylor was virtually the only man in United’s penalty area, to score.

A powerful second half performance at Ashby Avenue by Fleetwood Town on Tuesday night saw them move to within a point of long-time UniBond League Premier Division leaders Witton Albion and at the same time condemn hosts Lincoln United to relegation. A spirited Lincoln side eventually succumbed to goals from Andy Bell in the 63rd and 71st minutes, with Alex Taylor wrapping the game up three minutes from time.

Gateshead, already assured of a play-off spot, were held to a 1-1 draw at the Vic Couzens Stadium by relegation-threatened Stamford. Recent signing Kevin Byrne gave the Daniels a 33rd minute lead and Paul Brayson equalised on 62 minutes to leave the home side a point ahead of the drop zone. Leek Town, who started the evening second-bottom and four points behind Stamford, are now only two adrift after a 5-0 hammering of mid-table Kendal Town at Harrison Park. However, although the Cumbrians are in twelfth place, they are, in fact, only four points in front of the bottom four - such is the tightness of the division. Colin Daniel bagged a brace on 47 and 84 minutes, with Steve Brannan (58 minutes), Anthony Danylyk from the spot on 74 and Louis Briscoe in injury-time, also joining in the fun.

The game between fourth-placed Buxton and Frickley Athletic was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
 

FleetwoodTownFC.com || Match Archives 07/08