Fleetwood 2-2 Morecambe
Iain Hume netted six minutes from time to rescue a point for Fleetwood Town against rivals Morecambe at Highbury this afternoon.
Antoni Sarcevic put the Cod Army ahead early on with a fine free kick after Josh Morris had initially been felled outside the area.
On twenty minutes, visiting captain Mark Hughes levelled at the back post, as he headed a Jamie Devitt corner beyond Chris Maxwell.
The Shrimps went ahead with just under a quarter of an hour of the game remaining, as Nathan Pond unfortunately headed Jamie Devitt’s effort over Chris Maxwell.
It was on-loan striker Iain Hume who had the final word though, netting an important equalizer from close range.
Having comfortably beaten Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium last Saturday afternoon, manager Graham Alexander opted for the same eleven against the Shrimps.
The only squad change for the Cod Army was that of Coventry’s Adam Barton, who earned a place amongst the substitutes bench, with Stewart Murdoch missing out.
It took Town only ten minutes to get themselves in front, as Antoni Sarcevic netted his second long range free kick in the space of a week, as his low shot flew past Barry Roche into the bottom corner.
An inviting Jamie Devitt cross from the right hand side was met by the head of visiting midfielder Andrew Wright, but he glanced wide.
It was a Devitt set-piece that brought Jim Bentley’s side level on twenty minutes, when his corner was headed home at the back post by Mark Hughes.
Nathan Pond connected with a Josh Morris cross, and forced Roche into a neat stop, as he went in search of goal number 51 for Town.
The Shrimps went close through veteran attacker Kevin Ellison, as his dipping half volley from outside the box went just over the upright.
Iain Hume was denied his first goal in home colours when Alex Kenyon cleared off the line after some skilful work by David Ball on the left.
Morecambe began the second half the better of the two teams, with Devitt flashing an effort wide of Maxwell’s goal, and Ryan Edwards heading over.
David Ball capitalized on a defensive error from the Shrimps’ goalscorer Hughes, but was unable to beat Roche from a tight angle.
Ball later cut powerfully inside from the left and beat Kenyon, but his shot was blocked, while Matty Blair went close with a header as Fleetwood looked to get back in front.
Gareth Evans and Jon Parkin were introduced to the fray at the expense of Alan Goodall and Mark Roberts respectively, as Town looked for some attacking intent.
Despite Fleetwood’s best efforts, it was in fact the Shrimps who went ahead, as Jamie Devitt’s cross-cum-shot was unfortunately headed in by Nathan Pond.
On-loan midfielder Josh Morris drove forward and unleashed a fierce strike which went wide, but Town did eventually get the equalizing goal through Iain Hume with six minutes to play.
Jon Parkin’s initial shot was well saved by Roche, but Hume was on hand to follow up into an empty net.
Charlie Taylor came to his side’s rescue in added time, as he dramatically headed Robbie Threlfall’s goalbound strike off the line to rescue a point.