Latics end Cod Army's recent fine form
Fleetwood Town’s youth team succumbed to a 5-0 defeat away at Wigan Athletic on Saturday morning.A first half hat-trick from Sam Cosgrove put the Latics three to the good at the interval, with Josh Gregory and Alex Cvetkovic adding another two late on in the second half.
Conor Smith returned in midfield for the young Cod Army, with Elliot Wynne replacing Liam Bleeker in goal.
Fleetwood got off to the worst possible start as Wigan took the lead in the first minute through striker Cosgrove.
After some neat build up play from the hosts, the ball was pulled back towards the back post, with Cosgrove getting the better of two Town defenders and neatly tapping home.
However, despite falling to an early lead, Craig Madden's side looked for a way back into the game, with Jonny Conway's shot deflecting wide, before Shane Glean forced a save from Latics keeper Owen Evans.
Fleetwood shot stopper, Wynne, was on hand to keep Town in it, saving Josh Gregory's fizzing effort after a quarter of an hour.
Wigan found their second goal, through the impressive Cosgrove, with 28 minutes played.
Cosgrove received a pass just inside the penalty area, before sweetly striking a low drive beyond the reach of Wynne.
At the other end, returning Fleetwood midfielder Smith curled a right-footed free-kick just over the crossbar.
The Latics notched their third with 33 minutes on the clock, with Cosgrove completing his hat-trick in the process.
The striker finished off a well-worked team move, after forward Louis Robles squared the ball back for Cosgrove to side-foot home.
Jordan Hancox tried to wriggle through on goal towards the end of the half, however his build up play was swiftly thwarted by the home defence.
As the second resumed, Town found more of the ball and could have pulled a goal back early on. Glean rounding Evans, though the midfielder saw his goal-bound shot saved by the sprawling legs of the Welshman.
Gregory forced Wynne into a fine save, having beaten Vile for pace, as the home side looked to kill the game off.
The young Cod Army had chances of their own though in torrid conditions, with Conway glancing just wide from Hancox’s cross, and Smith seeing his driven effort saved by Evans.
Shortly after, the Latics found a fourth, and this time it would be Gregory who made his mark with nine minutes to play.
Influential forward Cosgrove played a part in the goal when he found space on the edge of the box, and sprayed the ball to Gregory, who took a touch and rifled home with his right foot.
And five minutes later, Cvetkovic cut inside and curled the ball beyond the dive of Wynne with the ball crashing in off the bar.