Graham Alexander was left disappointed with the first half performance over Plymouth Argyle, but he insists his side will be wanting to put things right when they take on Barnet on Tuesday evening.
Armed Forces Day was observed at Home Park on Saturday. The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, our county regiment, currently has a significant presence deployed in Afghanistan.By Tom BestwickGraham Alexander was left disappointed with the first half performance over Plymouth Argyle, but he insists his side will be wanting to put things right when they take on Barnet on Tuesday evening.
Fleetwood paid the price for a slow start by conceding two first half goals, and Alexander felt it was an opportunity missed to close the gap further on the play-off positions.
“I thought it was an opportunity missed today because it was a game I thought we should have won. I thought we created enough chances, we had plenty of opportunities to score more than one goal, but we have given away two really poor goals. Both from nothing situations, throws in our half and we haven’t defended them properly, and that has let two goals and that has put on us on the back foot.
“It is really disappointing. We have had five shots on their goal before they got near ours and we went away from what we did on Tuesday night in the first half. I thought it was a game where no one really wanted to take it by the scruff of the neck. We created a couple opportunities and we really should take control of a game like that, but we give away two poor goals and that puts you on that back foot.”
Argyle midfielder Paul Wotton gave the home side the lead from the penalty spot after a foul by Alan Goodall in the box, and although Alexander thought the spot kick should not have been awarded, he admits a lapse in concentration at the back cost his side for both of Argyle’s goals.
“I don’t particularly think it was a penalty but we give them the opportunity by marking on the wrong side of the player from a corner, which came from a poor throw in from us defending. We haven’t switched on and we have let Plymouth get into our backline and into our box to easily, so it was a poor penalty to give away.”
Town improved after the second half, and 23-year-old striker David Ball pulled one back for Town with a terrific left footed strike from a difficult angle with 15 minutes remaining, but they were unable to find the elusive equaliser. Alexander believes Ball deserved his eight goal of the season for the hard work he has put in over the past two games.
“It was a great finish by Bally (David Ball). It was probably the hardest opportunity we had all afternoon but I thought he deserved his goal. He played really well on Tuesday night and he never stopped working and he deserved his goal. It is frustrating because I thought we had better opportunities to score. We just lost our way for a 20-25 minute spell in the first half after they scored and it has cost us the game.
“It is disappointing because I thought we did all the right things against Accrington at the right times, but I don’t think we did that on Saturday. The first half has cost us the three points and I think we have thrown them away. No disrespect to Plymouth, they worked hard, and they had a good work rate and ethic about them, but where we are and where we want to be we should beat Plymouth away from home and we didn’t do that today.”
On loan midfielder, Paul McKenna was shown a second yellow card with five minutes remaining of the contest, and he will consequently miss the mid-week clash against Barnet at Underhill, and Alexander says it gives someone else the opportunity to stake a claim for a first team place.
“Losing Paul at that stage was a blow and it does take away some of your attacking threat, but I thought we still had some opportunities that were there to take. I don’t think he should have a got a second yellow. It was a nothing trip. We have to take it on the chin; it was our fourth in the last three weeks and Paul will now be unavailable for the Barnet game, but it will give the opportunity for someone else to come in and hopefully take the opportunity.”
Tuesday evening’s game gives Fleetwood a good chance to put the result behind them only days after the defeat as the look to close the gap on the top seven, and Alexander says he and his team will be looking to put things right with a win.
“I am glad for the game. I am sure the lads are as well because we need to go again, and it would have been a long week after a result like that. Hopefully we learn our lessons from Saturday. If we don’t compete at the maximum from minute one, then we will get a similar outcome.
“If we do the right stuff, at the right time with the competitiveness, we can win the game. We will be emphasising that to the lads on Monday, travel down on Tuesday and we will make sure we give the people that follow us a result and put it right on Tuesday.”