Youth team finished 2015 on a high
First-half strikes from Mamadou Djabi and Louis Myers earned Fleetwood Town’s youth team a fully-deserved three-points at home to Rochdale at Poolfoot Farm on Saturday morning.Djabi got Town up and running within the opening 15 minutes of the contest, with Myers doubling the advantage five minutes before the half-time interval.
Rochdale did pull one back in the dying embers courtesy of Andrew Hollins, however the hosts held on to claim victory on home soil.
Ahead of the visit of Dale to the Fylde Coast, Nathan Rooney named Max Johnstone in goal, in what was the only notable change to the line-up.
In an evenly contested opening to the game, it would be Rochdale who would create the first meaningful effort at either goal, as Tyler Berry dipped his 20-yard free-kick just over the crossbar.
Fleetwood midfielder Liam Wood was next to try his luck, though after sliding in to meet a cross from Nathan Sheron, he could only stab is effort off target.
Soon enough, the young Codlings would find the breakthrough, when Myers skipped past his man before playing an exquisite pass into the path of Djabi, who found the bottom corner.
Minutes later, forward Matthew Gillam found space, but after evading the tackle of skipper Andrew Smith, the Dale youngster couldn’t apply the finish from a tight angle.
Rooney’s side doubled their lead with 40 minutes on the clock, when Myers profited from fine build-up play from midfielder Michael Tetteh, to arrow the ball into the corner from outside the area.
In injury time, Dale had the perfect opportunity to get back into the match when they were awarded a penalty, but Kisimba Kisimba’s spot kick was saved by Johnstone.
Early in the second half, Djabi twisted and turned his marker, and took the ball to the byline and crossed for the on-rushing Myers, with his goal-bound effort unconvincingly parried away.
Myers was in the thick of the play once again, and saw his surging run from distance thwarted when the goalkeeper got down low to save.
Rochdale were going in search of a goal which may have given them a lifeline, and despite playing a more attacking style of football, were unable to force a way through Fleetwood’s backline.
That was until the 80th minute, when Hollins pounced to score from close-range which was to create a nervous final few minutes.
Fleetwood survived any late pressure to pick up the win, a result which ends 2015 on a high for the youth team.