Fleetwood lose out in cup tie against Rovers
A well taken goal from Jamie Allen wasn’t enough for Fleetwood Town as they fell to a 3-1 defeat against a strong Tranmere Rovers side in the Central League Cup.
The 18-year-old centre forward showed great composure to tuck the ball beyond Sam Ramsbottom on the hour mark, however it was the League One club that came out on top on a cold afternoon in Squires Gate.
The Cod Army, who handed starts to Stephen Jordan and Gareth Evans, started brightly with the latter having two opportunities on goal before Akpo Sodje’s opener for the visitors on the half hour mark.
The 33-year-old striker showed his experience to be in the right place at the right time to tap home from close range after Town keeper Chris Maxwell initially saved an Abdulai Baggie effort.
The Wirral outfit made it two just three minutes later as former Sheffield Wednesday and Preston striker Sodje diverted a header into the far corner following a right wing cross.
Into the second half and Fleetwood started to ask more question of the Rovers backline as they looked for a way back into the game.
And soon enough, Chris Lucketti’s side halved the deficit as teenage striker Allen escaped his marker and fired Fleetwood back into the tie in the 58th minute.
But Tranmere extinguished any hopes of a Fleetwood come back just after the hour mark through number nine Cole Stockton as the striker ensured the points were heading back to Merseyside.
Fleetwood: Maxwell, Williams, Jordan (Muscat 74), Hogan, Cresswell, Crowther, Bromley, Parker, Brown (Smith 68), Evans (Deacon 62), Allen. Unused subs: Martin, Barrett.
Tranmere: Ramsbottom, Morris, Gumbs, Smith, Bolland, Burke, Sodje, Power, Stockton, Riley (Newton 55), Baggie. Unused subs: Shackleton, Piling, Maher.