1 | Marine keeper Andy Brown looks on, fingers crossed, as Shaun Beeley claims a penalty. Referee says 'No'.
2 | Marine's Lee Parle queries the legitimacy of Warren Beattie's challenge for the ball. Alex Taylor observes.
3 | Jamie Milligan knocks in his eighth penalty of the season.
4 | Taylor again, under Connolly, with Phil Denney in support.

So, Christmas is over and the geese are not going to get any fatter - but the Mariners have arrived for a league cup game so let’s prepare the batter! A very happy and poetic New Year to one and all as we prepare to defend our league cup trophy. It only seems like yesterday that we collected it at Witton. I suppose this gives us a bit of a break from the league pressure but it could also be a practice match for the play offs, who knows where we will be come April? Marine were the better side when we lost 2-3 at home earlier in the season although Banksy had more jam than Robertsons that night. The current Town side is made of much sterner stuff these days, however, and I think we may just progress to the next round. Some of our old friends are waiting in the wings, Skelmersdale United and Curzon Ashton for instance, who we haven’t played for ages. The other one that would be interesting would be Sheffield FC, who we have never met before.

My Fleety footy expenses roll into 2008 looking more frightening than ever! Before today’s game they now stand at £636.81 comprising fuel 1285 miles - £157.21, Admissions - £285.00, Board/Refreshments - £121.20, and Coach/Shared Travel - £73.40.
 

Fleetwood Town relinquished their grip on the trophy that they had won last April in an error strewn contest. Fleetwood have a dreadful record against Marine and the portents looked less promising than ever, pre match, when manager Tony Greenwood was left with just twelve fit outfield players. With Jerome Watt suspended, Peter Wright banned from all football for an unknown period and Danny Hurst, Steve Foster, Phil Robinson, Jerome Fitzgerald, Jonathan Smith and Keiran Walmsley all succumbing to injuries, the sight of centre half Martin Moran limping away from the pre-match warm up was the last thing Fleetwood needed. A still flu ridden Jamie Milligan was pressed into service on the substitutes bench where he was joined by goalkeeper Mike Hale who faced the prospect of his first outing as an outfield player should circumstances have demanded it. New signing Warren Beattie made his debut in midfield alongside Reserve Team starlet, Mark Davis, whilst a clearly less than 100% Shaun Beeley bravely filled the left back berth.

The game ended in defeat but the score-line hides a gutsy Fleetwood performance with Town dominating much of the play and, literally, handing two second half goals to Marine on a plate. The only goal of the first half fell to Marine. Michael Brown should have done better to halt a move down the Marine left which ended in a fine cross shot evading the dive of goalkeeper, Terry Smith to nestle into the corner of the net. Despite dominating possession, an equalizer failed to materialise and Town went in at the break a goal down.

Marine added to the growing gloom with a calamitous second goal; Terry Smith inexplicably spilling a straight-forward catch at the feet of a Marine forward who made no mistake from close range. Beeley finally accepted defeat and made way for Milligan whose impact was immediate; Fleetwood's expert spot kicker converting his 13th goal of the season after a ludicrous decision by the referee to award a penalty despite the ball clearly hitting the Marine defender on the back rather than his hand. Undaunted, Marine recovered their poise and despite having to deal with a sustained attacking barrage from the home side, the visitors sealed victory following another defensive howler; Shaun Gray the latest culprit after miscontrolling the ball deep in his own half and losing possession to a Marine forward who made no mistake with a precise finish. Town battled on and skipper Ricky Mercer reduced the deficit with a late header from a corner but it was too little too late and, sadly, Fleetwood's defence of the trophy won in a hard fought League Challenge Cup victory over Matlock last April was over.

Marine travelled to Fleetwood’s Highbury Stadium without the services of Andy Banks (bad back) plus Adam Farley, Peter Cumiskey and Paul Woolcott (flu) in this UniBond Premier League Cup 4th Round clash.
Although the hosts had slightly the better of the early exchanges it was Marine who made the breakthrough. In the 5th minute, Kevin Towey pirouetted and put Ian Latham through on goal. The winger cut inside and hit a powerful shot past Terry Smith to open the scoring. As the game evened out, Fleetwood had shout for a penalty which referee Jim Waring rightly declined. Marine then had a good claim for a penalty themselves when Karl O’Donnell seemed to have been fouled but only a corner was awarded.
The Mariners doubled their advantage on 50 minutes when Smith failed to deal with an O’Donnell cross and Latham capitalised to stroke the ball into an empty net. Fleetwood pulled a goal back on the hour when Jamie Milligan scored from the penalty spot. An inspired substitution by Alvin resulted in Marine extending Marine’s lead on 66 minutes when Sean Tuck who had only been on the pitch for 2 minutes outpaced Sean Gray and although Smith stopped the strikers initial shot, Tuck steered in the rebound. The last few minutes proved to be highly eventful when Freddie Potter saw his shot smartly saved by Smith. Then in the last minute Ricky Mercer pulled a goal back with a header from a corner. It was to prove no more than a consolation as despite playing an additional 5 minutes Fleetwood were unable to trouble Marine any further.

Mike Hale is Fleetwood's reserve keeper, on the subs bench as an outfield player due to the late withdrawal of Martin Moran, injured in the warm up. Former Fleetwood favourite and Marine keeper Andy Banks missed the game with a back injury.
 

No change at the top of the Premier Division table with all four leading sides in cup action but BUXTON consolidated their play-off spot position with a 5-1 win over next to bottom LINCOLN UNITED whilst STAMFORD moved in to sixth with a 3-2 win against OSSETT TOWN.

The Macron 'Safe Hands' awards for December have been won by Fleetwood Town’s Mike Hale (Witton’s Jon Kennedy had the best record in the top flight but has already won a pair of gloves and is ineligible to win a second pair), Ryan McMahon (Skelmersdale United) took the First Division North prize whilst the First Division South award went to Grantham Town’s Mario Ziccardi.

The draws for the Quarter-Finals of the UniBond League Challenge Cup and the President’s Cup were made on Wednesday with the only previous winners left in either competition, Marine, drawn away to Skelmersdale United - the First Division’s only survivors in the Challenge Cup. Marine are attempting to set two records in this competition by reaching their sixth Final and winning their fourth having previously been successful in 1985, 1992 and 2003 in addition to being losing Finalists in 1981 and 1986. They currently share both records with Hyde United and Runcorn. Beaten Challenge Cup Finalists in 1990 and 2003 Gateshead have a long trek to Witton Albion who, somewhat surprisingly, will be looking to reach their first League Challenge Cup Final whilst Ilkeston Town host the winners of the delayed Guiseley / Eastwood Town and Worksop Town are at home to either Whitby Town or Frickley Athletic. 

There will be a new name on the President’s Cup this season with the only two teams to have previously reached the Final of this competition, Wakefield and Goole, having been drawn against one another. Wakefield will be hoping to go one better than last season when they lost to Buxton whilst Goole’s only previous Final appearance was in the inaugural competition in 1982 when they too lost to Buxton. The only other clear cut tie is at Radcliffe Borough who, despite struggling in the league, have done very well in cup competitions this season and they will host Brigg Town who, like Radcliffe have struggled in the league until recently. In the other ties Ossett Albion will travel to either Sheffield or Retford United whilst the winners of the twice postponed Nantwich Town and Cammell Laird tie will be visited by either FC United of Manchester or Rossendale United.
 

FleetwoodTownFC.com || Match Archives 07/08