Goals from Josh Morris and Mark Roberts won the game
Fleetwood Town ended their first season in England’s third tier with victory over Port Vale in Staffordshire.Josh Morris gave Town the lead just after the quarter hour mark with a fine drilled effort which flew past Chris Neal in the home goal.
Captain Mark Roberts doubled the advantage eight minutes later when he directed David Ball’s header goalwards from close range.
Michael O’Connor pulled one back late on for Vale with a long range strike which deflected off Mark Roberts.
Manager Graham Alexander made no less than six changes to the team that lost 3-2 at Highbury against Colchester United last weekend.
Danny Andrew, Mark Roberts, Gareth Evans, Steven Schumacher, Josh Morris and David Ball were all named in the team.
Town had the game’s first opportunity when Ball burst down the left and broke into the box before crossing for Evans who fired over.
Vale responded when Mohamed Coulibaly’s cross into the box found Ben Williamson who turned on a sixpence, but his shot was blocked bravely by Roberts.
Antoni Sarcevic later broke the offside trap and poked the ball into the path of an on-rushing Morris, who saw his fierce drive blocked from the edge of the box.
The Cod Army were ahead in the 17th minute when Ball’s cross from the right found Morris, who drilled a low effort beyond Chris Neal.
Mark Roberts made it two for Town on 25 minutes when Ball’s header was poked home from inside the six yard box by the captain.
Fleetwood were playing with confidence and attacked with purpose every time they went forward, with Ball impressing alongside Jamie Proctor.
The closest the home side came to reducing the arrears after Town had scored was through Coulibaly, when he surged into the area but shot into the side netting.
Tom Pope was guilty of missing a good opportunity deep into first half stoppage time, as he headed a cross from the left onto the roof of the net.
Vale made a double substitution at the interval, with Achille Campion and Tommy O’Sullivan replacing Michael Brown and Ben Williamson.
Campion was involved early and would have been disappointed not to have tested Chris Maxwell with a header from close range.
Alexander’s men were reduced to half chances, with Proctor’s audacious chip going wide, while Schumacher’s drive from distance was saved by Neal.
Morris was replaced by Conor McLaughlin on 70 minutes, and the Northern Ireland international was involved immediately as his 18 yard strike was thumped away.
Town were indebted to Chris Maxwell for a fine save in the latter stages as he tipped Pope’s header acrobatically onto the bar.
Vale pulled a consolation goal back in injury time as O’Connor’s strike from distance deflected off Roberts.