After securing third place in the npower League 2 with victory over Barnet at Highbury, Fleetwood Town face successive matches on the road, beginning with a trip across the Pennines to York City.
By David MitchellAfter securing third place in the npower League 2 with victory over Barnet at Highbury, Fleetwood Town face successive matches on the road, beginning with a trip across the Pennines to York City.
The Minstermen gained promotion from the Conference last season via the play-offs. Micky Mellon’s men would be delighted to come away from Bootham Crescent with a repeat of the April 2012 result when Town scored the only goal of the game courtesy of former York player, Richard Brodie. The win proved to be Town’s last in their two-year Conference history.
Jamie McGuire is set to make his 100
th league start for Town while strikers, David Ball and Tom Barkhuizen will go into the game, if selected, in confident mood after having opening their accounts at the weekend against Barnet.
With one fifth of the season completed, Town have recorded five wins and two draws from nine league games. It has been a fine start based on a settled defence who, leaving aside the off-night at home to Port Vale, have conceded just three goals from eight games. Only one goal has been conceded away from Highbury, at Bradford.
“It’s a tough week on the road but we are ready for it. We have a few bumps and bruises from Saturday but nothing to give too much concern. We should go over there with a clean bill of health and select a team to earn a result.”
York were promoted alongside Town via the play-off route and sit in a mid-table position.
“You are always in for a stern test when going over there. Going over at this stage of the season will be no different. We’ll do everything right in order to gain a favourable result.
“Their good start is no surprise to us. They are a good side and we will need to be at our best to collect anything from over there. It’s a game we are very much looking forward to.
York returned to winning ways on Saturday at Aldershot, ending a four game winless run. Matty Blair and Jason Walker, familiar names from Conference days, struck early in the second half and will need to be closely watched by Town’s defence. Another threat comes from top scorer, Michael Coulson, who signed from Grimsby Town during the summer and impressed for England ‘C’ against Italy at Highbury last season. City manager, Gary Mills, praised his side’s performance after the break at Aldershot and the result took York up three places to 12
th in the League 2 table.
City have just one home win so far, against Oxford United. Tuesday’s game is the first of three successive home games for them, including Coventry City in the Johnstone Paints Trophy.
In other news, Nathan Pond has been named the Blue Square Bet Premier 'player of the month' for September. Pond is currently on loan at Grimsby Town who lie in sixth spot.
The central defender contributed to his team's cause with two good goals and a hand in five clean-sheets during the period.