Preview: Fleetwood Town v Portsmouth

23 January 2023

Fleetwood Town are set to face Portsmouth at Highbury on Tuesday 24 January, and we have all you need to know ahead of the 7:45pm kick-off in our match preview.

Fixture: Fleetwood Town v Portsmouth

Competition: Sky Bet League One

Date: Tuesday 24 January 2023

Kick-off: 19:45

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

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FLEETWOOD TOWN

The Cods head into their latest home fixture on the back of two defeats against Oxford United and Sheffield Wednesday respectively, with both of those games showing narrow margins between Town and their opponents.

Before that, Fleetwood made a good start to the new year as they not only managed to beat Shrewsbury Town 3-0 on New Year’s Day, but they also made history as they reached the Fourth Round of the Emirates FA Cup for the first time in the club’s history after beating Championship side Queens Park Rangers 2-1 at Highbury.

Admiral Muskwe and Promise Omochere both managed to get on the score sheet in the 3-0 win over the Shrews, with an own goal capping off the scoring on that afternoon, with Toto Nsiala grabbing his first for the club to open the scoring against the Hoops later that week and Omochere continuing his recent form by grabbing the winner midway through the second half.

PORTSMOUTH

Pompey have recently gone through a managerial change after a not very favourable run of results in both the league and the Papa John’s Trophy – winning only two from ten games before beating Exeter City last time out.

It was a game of few chances at Fratton Park against Exeter, but Portsmouth managed to keep their heads and find the back of the net on two occasions as Marlon Pack broke the deadlock around the hour mark, before Joe Morrell added a sense of security by doubling their lead 16 minutes from time.

You have to go back to the 22^nd of October for their last league win before that, which was a 1-0 victory over Forest Green Rovers away from home, thanks to a first-half Sean Raggett goal. Between these wins, Pompey did win in the cup as they Managed to beat Hereford, Ipswich Town, MK Dons, and Stevenage in their relative game in the FA Cup and Papa John’s Trophy.

SCOTT BROWN AHEAD OF THE POMPEY CLASH

head coach Scott Brown spoke to the media after Fleetwood Town’s narrow loss to high-flying Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday afternoon at Hillsborough – here’s what he had to say:

“We need to get points on the board, we are on 29 so far this season and we need to get higher up the league because I’m not happy getting beaten two games in a row. We’ve got a huge game against Portsmouth on Tuesday, and then we are back here to face Sheffield Wednesday once again on Saturday.

“We’ve lost the last two games and have played well in both of them, so we need to make sure we are organised once again and switched on against Portsmouth. They’ve got a new manager so they might change their shape, and change personnel, so we’re not really too sure what we’re looking at yet, but we will do as much digging as we possibly can.

“Going forwards, we’ve put in some good performances but it’s all about getting points on the board in this league. Sometimes you might have to play ugly, but those are the kinds of performances you sometimes have to put in. It’s a hard league and Portsmouth are a huge club so they should be at the top of the league competing.”

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GET YOUR ONWARD CARD TODAY!

Make sure you are in the stands to watch the Cods during the 2022/23 Sky Bet League One season by getting your very own Onward Card. Adult tickets start at just £14.17 a month and Under-16s from just £1.92 a month.

Details on this season's cards are HERE.

Match Previews

Match Reports

Report: Town defeated at home by Portsmouth

24 January 2023

Fleetwood Town fell to a 2-0 defeat to Portsmouth at Highbury on Tuesday evening.

In a game that was stretched end-to-end, it was Pompey who made their chances count as Colby Bishop scored the opener late in the first half, and their lead was doubled just before the end by substitute Joe Pigott.

The game started slowly, but it was the visitors who found their groove first as they worked two good chances in the first 15 minutes. The first came from a tricky Marlon Pack dribble, which forced a good save from Jay Lynch, before Ryan Tunnicliffe’s effort from range was blocked well by Lewis Warrington.

Town crossed the ball into a packed Pompey box a couple of times from the left-wing soon after, with Phoenix Patterson – making his full debut for the club – almost finding the head of Promise Omochere on a couple of occasions, but Portsmouth defended those attacks well.

It would be fair to say that Town were fighting against a tide of attacks throughout the half from John Mousinho’s men – another chance which went just wide of Lynch’s far post was one from Colby Bishop who worked a yard of space but dragged the shot wide of the target.

The closest Town got to finding the back of the net in the first half came 10 minutes before the break when Warrington picked the ball up 30-yards out and drove towards goal, found some space and unleashed a powerful effort which, unfortunately, went the wrong side of the post.

Pompey managed to break the deadlock in the game three minutes before the break and it was Bishop who scored it. Ronan Curtis played the ball to the forward, who took it closer to goal and then slotted it past the goalkeeper.

Scott Brown’s side started positively in the second half as they created a couple of half chances, with the best being a cross from Phoenix Patterson almost finding the head of a leaping Carl Johnston inside the area, but it was defended well by the visiting defence.

Around the hour mark, Pompey saw the good and the bad from their play as Curtis fired an effort towards goal, which hit the near post, before Joe Morrell saw red and picked up two quick-fire yellows cards, seeing him be dismissed by the referee.

It was Town’s opportunity then to get back into the tie after that and they tried to through Scott Robertson’s long-range effort, then debutant Callum Dolan’s near post shot, and even after that, Paddy Lane’s dribble into the box, which caused mass-panic in the Pompey defence.

But, it was Mousinho’s men who took advantage and doubled their lead in the last 10 minutes. After Owen Dale’s effort from range forced a good save from Lynch, the resulting corner saw substitute Pigott find the back of the net seven minutes from time.

Town XI: Lynch (GK), Wiredu, Vela (C), Muskwe (Garner 61’), Robertson, Warrington (Dolan 61’), Omochere (Hayes 46’), Nsiala, Patterson (Andrew 61’), Johnston (Lane 73’), Earl.

Unused subs: McMullan (GK), Holgate.

Pompey XI: Macey (GK), Swanson, Ogilvie, Pack (C), Tunnicliffe (Thompson 67’), Bishop (Pigott 78’), Curtis (Hume 88’), Dale, Morrell, Raggett, Towler.

Unused subs: Olumayewi (GK), Freeman, Hackett-Fairchild, Scarlett.

Match Reports

Ticket News

Show your support for the Cods tomorrow night at Highbury

23 January 2023

Tickets for Fleetwood Town's Sky Bet League One clash against Portsmouth are still on sale and we want to see as many of you as we can in the stands supporting the lads!

In the home clash, which is set to take place on Tuesday 24 January at 7:45pm, Town will be hoping to get back to winning ways after falling to two narrow defeats against Oxford United and Sheffield Wednesday in the last couple of weeks.

You can get your tickets for the game by clicking HERE. For someone who is an Under-16s, it will cost them just £7 to stand in the Memorial Stand and cheer on the Cod Army, or you can pay an extra £1 and have your very own seat in either the Parkside or Highbury Stand.

Check out below which option is best for you:

	STANDING: Memorial Stand	SEATING: Parkside / Highbury Stand
Adults	£22	£24 (Premium seating: £26)
Under-25s	£17	£19 (Premium seat: £21)
Under-16s	£7	£8 (Premium seat: £9)
Under-5s*	£1	£1