Preview: Fleetwood Town v Swindon Town

19 March 2021

Fleetwood Town face Swindon Town on Saturday 20 March at Highbury Stadium in Sky Bet League One, and we have all you need to know ahead of the 3pm kick-off in our match preview.

Fixture: Fleetwood Town v Swindon Town

Competition: Sky Bet League One

Date: Saturday 20 March 2021

Kick-off: 15:00

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

Match officials: Graham Salisbury (Referee), Billy Smallwood & Daniel Woodward (Assistant Referees), Gary Hilton (Fourth Official)

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FLEETWOOD TOWN

Fleetwood made it four clean sheets on the bounce, as well as extending their unbeaten record to six games on Tuesday evening after beating Ipswich Town 2-0 at Highbury.

Simon Grayson’s side started the game as they meant to go on as they broke the deadlock nine minutes into the game as Callum Connolly converted from James Hill’s long throw. Ged Garner made it two in the second half after finishing off a tidy counter-attack, started by fellow forward Kyle Vassell.

In the game before, Town played out a goalless draw against local rivals Blackpool. Jerry Yates came close to opening the scoring for the Seasiders in the Fylde Coast derby when he tested Alex Cairns from close range in the first half. Vassell had Fleetwood’s best chance towards the end of the second half when he fired just over the top of Chris Maxwell’s goal.

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SWINDON TOWN

Swindon have been struggling for form as of late as they are yet to win a game in the month of March.

Last time out, The Robins welcomed Gillingham and, even though they found themselves in the lead going into the half-time break through Brett Pitman, a Vadaine Oliver brace and a further goal from Kyle Dempsey turned the game around for The Gills, which meant to game ended in a 3-1 loss.

The game before that was also a home game for John Sheridan’s side, but that one ended in a 2-1 defeat to Oxford United. Taylor Curran bagged a goal late on in the game, but it wasn’t enough to turn around Brandon Barker’s and Dan Agyei’s earlier goals for The U’s.

ONE TO WATCH: BRETT PITMAN

The one to watch from The Robins is Brett Pitman. The 33-year-old forward is the top goal scorer for Swindon so far this season as he currently has eight goals to his name, with the last one coming on Tuesday night.

The Jersey-born forward started his career as a trainee at Bournemouth back in 2004 and spent the next six years at that club. In his time there, he made almost 200 appearances in all competitions for the club, scoring 62 goals in that time, before moving on to Bristol City in 2010. That scoring form carried on during his three-year sting as he found the net a further 20 times.

A trip back to the Vitality Stadium was next, after a brief loan spell the season before, and he was an ever-present during this time. He helped the team win promotion to the Championship, and then to the Premier League the year after.

Two years at Ipswich would follow before he would make the move to Portsmouth to play under Kenny Jackett in 2017. The forward would spend three years there and a highlight of his time there was when he went on to become the first player since 2003 to score over 20 goals in a single season for the side in his debut season there.

In September 2020, Pitman was on the move again as he signed for newly-promoted Swindon Town on a one-year deal. Since joining The Robins, he has found the back of the net eight times in just 27 league appearances.

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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 Swindon Town on Saturday.

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 host Swindon Town in a league clash at Highbury on Saturday 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 fall to defeat against Swindon at Highbury

20 March 2021

Fleetwood Town fell to a 2-0 defeat against Swindon Town at Highbury Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Robins opened the scoring with the first shot of the game as Scott Twine found the back of the net just four minutes into the game. Swindon’s number ten doubled the lead midway through the second half, with Ged Garner missing the best chance for Fleetwood in the game.

The first chance of the game saw the deadlock be broken in the fourth minute as Twine received the ball inside the Fleetwood box. He skilled his way past his marker and slid the ball into the near post, making the game 1-0.

The Cod Army then went on the attack looking to level up the scoreline from a corner two minutes later as a corner was played towards the back post by Danny Andrew, but Callum Connolly’s header went wide of the target.

The game was mainly played in the middle of the park for the next 25 minutes and the next chance came from another Fleetwood Corner. Andrew managed to find James Hill this time, but he didn’t get enough on the ball, as it flew wide.

In the 40^th minute, Swindon had another chance as the ball found its way to Jack Payne on the edge of the box, who composed himself and tried his luck with his left foot, not troubling Alex Cairns as the shot went well over the bar.

Two minutes later, the visitors had another chance from 20-yards as Chris Missilou played the ball to Matt Palmer, who then struck the ball towards goal with venom, going just past the far post.

Both sides battled at the start of the second half and Fleetwood really should have levelled it up in the 53^rd minute as Sam Finley played Kyle Vassell through, who found Ged Garner inside the box, but his shot crashed against the post, with Lee Camp collecting the rebound.

The game was stop-start for the majority of the second half, with fouls being given throughout the game. Fleetwood were able to make a few half chances through Vassell and substitutes Callum Camps and Shayden Morris, but none of them seemed to worry Camp in the Swindon goal.

With 20 minutes to go, Swindon were on the attack, and after a cross from the left, and a half-clearance from Andrew, the ball fell to Paul Caddis, but his volley went high and wide of Cairns’ goal.

The last gilt-edged chance of the game fell to Fleetwood five minutes before the end as Garner whipped a cross into the box from deep, with Vassell diving towards the ball but heading the effort wide of the far post.

Town XI: Cairns (GK), Andrew, Connolly (C), Burns, Rossiter, Vassell, Finley (S.Morris 61’), Batty, Garner, Holgate (Camps 61’), Hill.

Subs not used: Coleman (GK), Saunders, Donacien, Biggins, Rydel.

Swindon XI: Camp (GK), Caddis, Pitman (C), Twine, Iandolo, Odimayo, Payne, Missilou (Lyden 69’) (Garrick 81’), Palmer, Thompson, A.Grant.

Subs not used: Matthews (GK), Smith, J.Grant, Curran, Hope.