Grant's goal not enough for Town on the road
Bobby Grant’s opener wasn't enough to stop Fleetwood Town suffering defeat on the road at Bradford City.
The forward had put the Cod Army ahead with a wonderful goal early on, before Billy Clarke inspired a comeback for the home side.
Substitution Clarke first teed-up Haris Vuckic to level on the stroke of half-time before stepping up to fire the winner from the spot just after the hour mark.
Rosler made a couple of changes for the game, handed a first league start to Martyn Woolford and reinstating Devante Cole in attack. Loan pair Chris Long and Kyle Dempsey both missed out to injury.
It also saw a change in formation for the Cod Army, with the protecting pair of Jimmy Ryan and Eggert Jonsson sitting just infant of an unchanged back four.
In front of a huge and vocal crowd at Valley Parade Rosler’s men started brightly, with Bobby Grant and Conor McLaughlin both getting joy down the right-hand side in the early exchanges.
After an even opening the game’s first, and best, chance fell to Cole who raced in behind the Bradford defence before forcing a decent save from Colin Doyle.
With both sides throwing caution to the wind it was proving to be an entertaining affair, and the home side could have gone ahead on 20 minutes when Marc McNulty dragged an effort wide from 12 yards.
And just as the half looked to be fizzing out, it burst into life thanks to a magical goal by Grant.
The wide-man burst into the box onto a David Ball pass, drifted past two Bradford defenders before lifting past Doyle into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
It was a wonderful goal.
Town looked to be taking their lead into the half-time break, mainly due to a sensational stop by keeper Chris Neal.
He somehow managed to one-handedly claw a Haris Vuckic effort to safety when it looked almost impossible, superb stuff.
But sadly, deep into stoppage time Bradford found an equaliser, when Filipe Morais guided an effort into the roof of the net after good work from substitute Billy Clarke inside the area.
It was a cruel blow for Rosler’s men.
There were no changes at the break for either side, and in the opening exchanges it became a tight affair, something which will probably have pleased Rosler having conceded so late in the first half.
Fleetwood kept plugging away however, with Ball, Grant and Cole linking well in attack.
Sadly Town would soon be behind, conceding their third penalty in two games when Jonsson fouled in the area, Clarke fired straight down the middle and past Neal.
Rosler quickly responded by making a double substitution, with Ash Hunter and Alex Jakubiak replaced Woolford and Cole.
But it was the late introduction of Cian Bolger in attack which caused carnage as Fleetwood piled on the pressure, sadly they couldn't quite find a breakthrough.
Fleetwood: Neal, McLaughlin, Bell, Eastham, Pond, Ryan, Jonsson (82), Grant, Ball, Woolford (Hunter 63), Cole (Jakubiak 63).
Subs: Cairns, Nirennold, Duckworth, Glendon.