Goals from Conor McAleny, Wes Burns and Bobby Grant saw Fleetwood claim a sixth straight pre-season victory, with a 3-1 win over Morecambe.

First half goals by McAleny and Burns sealed off another win for Joey Barton’s men, with the 2018/19 Sky Bet League One just seven days away.

Grant struck midway through the second period, after Andrew Fleming had halved Town’s lead, but the Cod Army held on for a comfortable victory.

Loanee striker Ched Evans made the starting eleven at Morecambe, after scoring his first goal for the side against Tranmere Rovers exactly a week ago. McAleny and Burns joined him upfront, with Lewie Coyle and Joe Maguire starting at full-back.

The first chance of the game fell to the hosts as Fleming found himself on the end of a deep corner into the box, but his shot towards goal was cleared only to Adam Campbell who shifted the ball onto his left foot and struck the effort high and wide.

Town worked their way into the game in the 6^th minute as Evans switched the play from right to left to McAleny, who cut inside, beating Zak Mills, but his chance from eight yards goes over the bar.

Morecambe responded well as, in the 8^th minute, Kevin Ellison headed the ball down to Vadaine Oliver, he took a step to compose himself but he struck the ball well wide of Alex Cairns' left-hand post.

A cross the almost turned into a freak goal, as Lewie Coyle’s ball in from the right was fumbled by Barry Roche onto the crossbar, Evans followed the chance up, but the keeper recovered well.

Town seemed to build some momentum then as Burns crossed the ball into the box from the right, Bobby Grant headed the ball down to Jack Sowerby whose 18-yard volley was saved by Roche.

Morecambe’s best chance of the first half came in the 21^st minute as Zak Mills’ cross from deep found Aaron Wildig, who forced a brilliant diving save out of Cairns to keep the game goalless.

That save proved pivotal as less than 60 seconds later, Grant found some space on the wing, his cross wasn’t dealt with, and the ball fell to McAleny who fired the ball home from eight yards.

Burns had the next chance as he picks up a loose ball 20-yards out, and forced a smart low save from Roche.

The forward impressed in the first half, and he managed to get on the score sheet in the 42^nd minute. Grant crossed the ball into the box from a corner, where Burns headed it into the top corner of the net. A top finish which saw Town lead at the break.

Morecambe put themselves back into the game early on in the second half as Fleming’s strike from the edge of the area deflected off Nathan Sheron, evading Cairns.

Town carried on pressing the Morecambe defence and just before the hour mark, Grant drilled a chance into the Morecambe defence earning his side a corner. The resulting set-piece saw Evans rise up and head the ball on-target, which Roche saved well.

The pressure seemed to work as Grant grabbed Town’s third in the 66^th minute. A quick break ended with the midfielder striking the ball cleanly from the edge of the area into the back of the net.

Kyle Dempsey then came on to replace Sheron and seemed to cause the Shrimpers defence some trouble. In the 70^th minute, he could have easily scored town’s fourth of the afternoon as he cut in from the left, and forced a brilliant diving save from Roche.

The last chance of the game fell to substitute Paddy Madden, who replaced Evans midway through the half, as he rushed forward into a one-on-one the defender marking him, but his effort went just wide of the target.

This win sees Joey Barton’s side extend their pre-season unbeaten streak to six, ahead of Monday's trip to Chorley.

Town: Cairns (Urwin); Coyle (Jones), Morgan (Eastham), Spurr (Bolger), Maguire (Clarke); Sheron (Dempsey), Grant (Holt), Sowerby (Biggins); Burns, Evans (Madden), McAleny.