Preview: Sunderland v Fleetwood Town

22 February 2021

Fleetwood Town face Sunderland on Tuesday 23 February at the Stadium of Light in Sky Bet League One, and we have all you need to know ahead of the 7pm kick-off in our match preview.

Fixture: Sunderland v Fleetwood Town

Competition: Sky Bet League One

Date: Tuesday 23 February 2021

Kick-off: 19:00

Venue: Stadium of Light, Stadium Way, Sunderland, SR5 1SU

Match officials: James Bell (Referee), Christopher Ward & Ivan Stankovic (Assistant Referees), Carl Boyeson (Fourth Official)

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FLEETWOOD TOWN

Fleetwood will be looking to get back to winning ways on the road, with their last result being a narrow 1-0 loss to Plymouth Argyle just over a week ago.

Town made the long trip to Home Park in their last away game and came back empty-handed after a hard-battled performance against The Pilgrims. Attacks flowed throughout the game for Fleetwood but, unfortunately, it was a Harrison Holgate own goal that settled the tie on the day.

Since then, Simon Grayson’s side have had a home clash against Charlton Athletic, which ended as a 1-1 draw. The visitors took the lead early on through a Jayden Stockley header from five yards, but Town piled on the pressure from that point on and found a way back into the game just before half-time as Paddy Madden finished off a brilliant move, which meant the points would have to be shared.

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SUNDERLAND

The Black Cats are currently sitting in the play-off spots, after winning their last two league games against Burton Albion and Doncaster Rovers.

Last time out, Sunderland seemed to walk through a clash against Burton Albion, as they finished the game 3-0 winners. Grant Leadbitter opened the scoring six minutes in, before Lynden Gooch and Charlie Wyke both got onto the score sheet to finish off The Brewers at the Pirelli Stadium.

Lee Johnson’s side have also carried on their impressive cup run recently as they overcame Lincoln City in a penalty shootout on Wearside, securing their spot in the 2021 Papa John’s Trophy Final. Anthony Scully put Lincoln ahead in the 64^th minute, Wyke drew Sunderland level with 15 minutes to go. The tight affair continued until Ramirez Howarth hit the woodwork, sealing the final spot for the Black Cats.

ONE TO WATCH: CHARLIE WYKE

The one to watch for Sunderland is striker, Charlie Wyke. The 28-year-old is by far the highest goal scorer for The Black Cats this season, with 23 goals in all competitions.

Wyke started his career as a trainee at Middlesbrough and went on loan to Kettering, Hartlepool, AFC Wimbledon, and back to the Pools respectively. Across those four loan spells, he managed to appear in over 65 games and score ten goals.

After leaving Boro, he made his way to Carlisle United in January 2015 and spent two years at Brunton Park. Wyke found his scoring form here as he scored 39 goals in just 89 games, and subsequently earned a move to Bradford.

After bagging 23 more goals, he moved onto Sunderland and has since made over 70 appearances and has been a constant figure so far this season, scoring 18 goals in the league and 23 in all competitions.

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WATCH TOWN ON iFOLLOW!

Supporters can now purchase video match passes for Fleetwood Town’s Sky Bet League One clash against Sunderland on Tuesday.

With fans still unable to attend games, the iFollow match pass is your best option to watch the Cod Army play.

Simon Grayson's side are set to travel to the Stadium of Light to face Sunderland on Tuesday and you can watch the game for just £10!

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

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Match Previews

Match Reports

Report: Fleetwood lose out in tough battle against Sunderland

23 February 2021

Fleetwood Town lost out in a tough battle against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday night.

The Black Cats opened the scoring as Aiden O’Brien’s header found the back of the net midway through the second half. The Cod Army soaked up the hosts’ pressure but couldn’t work a way back into the game despite the three substitutions The home side doubled their lead in the last ten minutes as Max Power headed past Alex Cairns at the back post.

After a good spell of possession by Town in the opening five minutes, the visitors started the game on the front foot working the ball down the left with Harrison Holgate and Danny Andrew whose cross from the side of the box forced a stretched block out of Dion Sanderson which was directed away for a Fleetwood corner - which came to nothing.

Town continued to test the Black Cats’ defence in the opening ten minutes as James Hill’s ball over the top found Kyle Vassell whose stretching effort to get the ball across the face of goal was intended for Harvey Saunders, but the striker couldn’t capitalise, and Sanderson could clear the hosts’ lines the second time of asking.

Before the 20-minute-mark the hosts’ started to have their own chances as Conor McLaughlin’s ball from the right flank found Aiden McGeady in the middle of the park, whose effort from 18 yards out was blocked bravely by Hill.

The Black Cats started to up the tempo as Lynden Gooch anticipated Jordan Rossiter’s pass forward and drove through three grey-shirts, played it wide to McGeady whose floating ball into the box from the left was dealt well by Town.

The hosts came forward again as this time Max Power’s effort from 25-yards out didn’t test Cairns and flew wide of the post.

Fleetwood tried to carve a chance out of their own just before the half-hour mark as Dan Batty drifted a free kick into the box from a central position which found Callum Connolly, whose header into the six-yard area asked a few questions of the home side’s defensive duties, but Luke O’Nien emphatically sent the ball away from danger.

A heroic tackle from Holgate denied Charlie Wyke a golden-opportunity to open the scoring came soon after the Cod Army had the ball in the opposing box, as both sides were yet to really test the opponent’s goalkeeper.

Early into the second half, Town worked the ball from left to right as Janoi Donacien’s clever throw-in which was taken quickly found Harvey Saunders who cheekily nutmegged O’Nien to create a yard of space as Batty picked up the loose ball, but Dan Batty’s cross into the box was met by Callum McFadzean and cleared away.

Just short of the hour mark, Lynden Gooch nearly broke the deadlock, but Cairns was fast to come off his line and match the chipped attempt.

The deadlock was broken with an hour played as O’Brien met McGeady’s cross into the box with his head and guided it past Cairns into the bottom corner of the goal.

A number of tactical changes from Simon Grayson in a hope of getting at Sunderland’s back-line where with Shayden Morris’ introduction it showed more intent from Town as S.Morris looked to drive forward taking on two Sunderland men but his final ball into the box was caught by Lee Burge.

Despite Town’s best efforts of getting into the game with a number of chances coming from the left-hand side, as Andrew and Wes Burns combined well to get the ball into the box, but the attack fizzled out.

The scoreline was doubled from the hosts as an unmarked Max Power headed home from a corner with less than ten to go.

Town XI: Cairns (GK), Andrew, Connolly (C), Duffy (Biggins 58’), Rossiter, Vassell, Saunders (Burns 58’), Donacien, Batty (Camps 78’), Holgate (S.Morris 69’), Hill.

Subs not used: Coleman (GK), J.Morris, Rydel.

Sunderland XI: Burge (GK), McLaughlin, Power, Wyke, O’Brien (Maguire 78’), Gooch (Winchester 71’), O’Nien, Sanderson, Leadbitter, McFadzean, McGeady (Jones 68’).

Subs not used: Matthews (GK), Diamond, Vokins, Younger.