Fleetwood 12 unbeaten after home draw
Fleetwood Town’s unbeaten streak continues as they drew 1-1 against Southend United at Highbury Stadium.
David Ball’s equaliser two minutes from time cancelled out Anthony Wordsworth’s first half finish to evenly spread the points on the Fylde coast.
Town made three changes to the side that beat table-toppers Sheffield United as Ashley Hunter, David Ball and George Glendon came in for Devante Cole, Markus Schwabl and Wes Burns. Southend also made two changes to their side who played against Rochdale two weeks ago as Anton Ferdinand and Jermaine McGlashan were replaced by Ben Coker and John White.
The first chance of the game came in the second minute as the ball fell to David ball on the edge of the Shrimpers box. He dribbled round the defender and got a right footed shot off but it was easily saved by Ted Smith.
Southend then had a few half chances on Town’s goal but both Anthony Wordsworth’s and Ryan Leonard’s chances ended up well wide of Alex Cairns’ net.
minute, Fleetwood had a good a chance as any to score as George Glendon received the ball inside the Southend box, he turned his man but his outside the foot hot was deflected just wide of the target.thIn the 20
Southend had their best chance of the first half just before the half hour mark as Will Atkinson’s free-kick was played short to Marc-Antoine Fortune, whose strike was parried away by Cairns.
minute as some miscommunication from the Town defence led to Fortune getting the ball on the left wing, he stalled and played the ball to Anthony Wordsworth whose shot went into the back of the net, after hitting the left-hand post.thThe deadlock was broken in the 37
The game was end-to end until the hour mark when David Ball broke the offside trap. He ran down the left wing, eventually putting the ball towards the back post where Conor McLaughlin’s header was cleared off the line by Coker.
Five minutes later, Fortune made his way through the Town backline but his shot was saved by a diving Cairns at his near post.
minute as Bobby Grant’s free-kick, which was his last involvement in the game, went around the wall but was headed behind for a corner.thTown almost struck back in the 67
Southend had a great chance to double their lead ten minutes from the end as Coker passed the ball into the box towards Simon Cox. The striker then played the ball to Fortune who struck the ball straight at Cairns.
Fleetwood then had two big chances inside the Southend six-yard box as Devante Cole’s shot from inside the six-yard box was deflected wide for a corner. Wes Burns had an opportunity just a minute later but his sliced shot went just over the bar.
But with the chances coming thick and fast, Town equalised with just two minutes left in the game as Ball struck the ball perfectly with his left foot into the top left corner of the net.
Town pushed for the win in added time as Burns’ found some space on the left wing and unleashed a driven right footed shot which went just wide of the post.
minute corner from Ball but Cian Bolger’s header was deflected just wide of the far post, leaving the game 1-1.thThe last chance of the game came from a 95
FTFC:Alex Cairns; Conor McLaughlin, Ashley Eastham, Cian Bolger, Ben Davies, Amari’i Bell (Devante Cole, 76’); Bobby Grant (Markus Schwabl, 68’), George Glendon (Wes Burns, 61’), Kyle Dempsey; Ashley Hunter, David Ball.
SUBS:Chris Neal, Joe Davis, Victor Nirennold, Joe Maguire.
SUFC:Ted Smith; Jason Demetriou, Adam Thompson, John White, Ben Coker; Michael Timlin (Zavon Hines, 77’), Ryan Leonard, Anthony Wordsworth, Will Atkinson; Simon Cox (Luke O’Neill, 87’), Marc-Antoine Fortune (Frank Nouble, 81’).
SUBS:Josh Bexon, Jack Bridge, Luke Amos, Daniel Matsuzaka.
REFEREE:Eddie Ilderton
ASS. OFFICIALS:).thNicholas Barnard, Geoffrey Liddle, Glen Hart (4
ATTENDANCE:2,675 w/ 266 travelling Southend United supporters.