Preview: Fleetwood Town v Blackpool

7 December 2020

Fleetwood Town face Blackpool on Tuesday 8 December at Highbury Stadium in the Papa John’s Trophy, and we have all you need to know ahead of the 7:45pm kick-off in our match preview.

Fixture: Fleetwood Town v Blackpool

Competition: Papa John’s Trophy

Date: Tuesday 8 December 2020

Kick-off: 19:45

Venue: Highbury Stadium, Park Avenue, Fleetwood, FY7 6TX

Match officials: Robert Lewis (Referee), Matthew Bristow & Conor Brown (Assistant Referees), Paul Marsden (Fourth Official)

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FLEETWOOD TOWN

The Cod Army have had a perfect record so far this season in the Papa John’s Trophy, finishing the group stage with all nine points earned.

The competition started off with a trip to Brunton Park where Joey Barton’s side managed to beat Carlisle United 3-1, with Callum Camps scoring his first for the club and Harvey Saunders also managing to get a brace on the day.

A 3-0 win over Aston Villa U21 followed as Saunders carried on his brilliant form in the competition, scoring a quickfire first-half hat-trick against the side – which was his first in a Fleetwood shirt.

Town finished off the group with a game against Sunderland at Highbury and walked away 2-1 winners on the night. Barrie McKay and Mark Duffy bagged goals in that one, with Callum McFadzean scoring for the Black Cats.

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BLACKPOOL

The Seasiders also went unbeaten in the group stage of the trophy, finishing second with five points after three games.

Blackpool began the competition with a goalless draw against Barrow at Bloomfield Road before travelling to Accrington, where they shared the points after Colby Bishop cancelled out Keshi Anderson’s early opener.

In the last game of the group, Neil Critchley’s side faced Leeds United U21 at home and they comfortably won that tie, as Dan Kemp, Cody Drameh, and Ethan Robson all managed to get on the score sheet.

PRE-MATCH QUOTES – JOEY BARTON

Head coach Joey Barton spoke to the press after his side’s Sky Bet League One loss to Blackpool on Saturday. He had this to say:

“There’s no point dwelling on the last result too long because there is another derby game here on Tuesday night in the cup. We’ve got to dust ourselves down, get back on the training ground, and start to turn these results around.

“We’ve got to put it right on Tuesday night. We’ve got to be bang at it from the get-go and I think the challenge now is over to the players. They know what is expected here and know about the local bragging rights that the town of Fleetwood have when it beats a town like Blackpool.”

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WATCH TOWN ON iFOLLOW!

Supporters can now purchase video match passes for Fleetwood Town’s Papa John's Trophy cup tie against Blackpool on Tuesday.

With games still being played behind closed doors, the match pass is your best option to watch the Cod Army during the early stages of the 2020/21 season.

Joey Barton's side will host the Seasiders on Tuesday after finishing the group stage of the Papa John's Trophy with a perfect record - and you can watch the game for just £10!

Please note that cup matches are not included in your Onward Card subscriptions so they will not receive a streaming code for this game.

If you'd like to purchase your match pass, click HERE.

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Match Previews

Match Reports

Report: Fleetwood secure their spot in round three of the Papa John's Trophy after Blackpool win

8 December 2020

Fleetwood Town go through to round three of the Papa John’s Trophy after beating Blackpool 5-4 in penalties at Highbury on Tuesday evening.

Both Fleetwood and Blackpool had chances throughout the game but neither side was able to break the deadlock in normal time. It was penalties that decided the tie as Mark Duffy scored the winning spot-kick for Town.

The first chance of the game fell to Fleetwood as Ryan Rydel ran down the left-wing before whipping the ball into the box towards Harvey Saunders, who headed the ball wide of the near post.

Saunders was at it again just a few minutes later, this time it was Paul Coutts crossing the ball in from the right, but the forward’s header went over Jack Sims’ bar.

Fleetwood were on the attack again after 20 minutes as S.Morris took on his man, played a low cross into the box, but Saunders’ shot went just wide.

The visitors could have opened the scoring just before the half-hour mark as Keshi Anderson is played through, one-on-one, and forces a great save from Alex Cairns, who made himself big and dealt with the attack brilliantly.

Town had another attack with four minutes to go in the first half as Mark Duffy found Sam Stubbs in the box, from a corner, with the defender heading the ball towards goal but a Blackpool defender managed to get in the way and clear.

Blackpool had the last chance of the half as Ethan Robson played a one-two in the middle of the park and then tried his luck from range. Cairns saved the effort, pushing the ball only to the feet of Matty Virtue who fired over.

The Seasiders opened the second half with a chance as Luke Garbutt ran down the left-wing, into the Fleetwood box, but his shot on-goal was easily blocked.

Town had the upper hand on the hour-mark as Duffy found Stubbs in a packed box from a corner and, even though his header was on-target, it was easily saved by Sims.

Soon after, Saunders thought he was through but was seemingly tripped up by Jordan Thorniley but the referee decided there wasn’t enough to give the Cod Army a penalty.

After the ball bundled around the Fleetwood box, the ball fell to the feet of substitute Jordan Williams who struck the ball with his right-foot straight at Cairns, who collected the ball well.

With five minutes to go, James Hill meets a Duffy corner inside the box but couldn’t quite guide his header goalwards.

The tie went to penalties after neither side managed to score in normal time. Alex Cairns managed to save Robson’s penalty before Duffy stepped up and slotted it home to make it 5-4 to Fleetwood.

Town XI: Leutwiler (GK), Duffy, Evans, Coutts (C), Saunders (Madden 72’), Boyes, Stubbs, Hill, Rydel, Matete (McKay 76’), S.Morris (Whelan 76’).

Subs not used: Cairns (GK), Burns, J.Morris, Holgate.

Blackpool XI: Sims (GK), Gabriel, Thorniley (Gretarsson 74’), Robson, Sarkic, Anderson (Mitchell 63’), Virtue (Williams 45’), Kemp, Turton (C), Garbutt, Lubala.

Subs not used: Fojticek (GK), Apter, Mariette, Holmes.