Four goals from Ashley Nadesan, a double from Gerard Garner and an own goal saw Fleetwood Town’s Squad thrash Carlisle 7-0 on Wednesday.
An early strike from Garner was the perfect start for Paul Murray’s side, with fellow striker Nadesan scoring one penalty and three from free play, before Garner hit his second and an unlucky Carlisle player made an own goal late on in the second half.
Murray made several changes to the team that beat Blackpool 3-0 in the Lancashire Senior Cup, with Nadesan and Garner leading the attack with Michael Donohue and Sebastien Des Pres also starting in midfield.
Garner made the perfect start to the game, scoring Town’s first chance after being played beautifully through by Des Pres on the right-hand side.
The American was close to grabbing a goal himself after he tried a shot from a short corner, but Carlisle keeper Morgan Bacon saved well and cleared the danger.
Steven Rigg got Carlisle’s first proper chance with a shot that hit just outside Town goalkeeper Billy Crellin’s right post. The keeper making his first appearance since winning the U17 World Cup with England in India.
After 23 minutes, De Pres got a penalty for his side after lobbing the ball to the hand of Aidan Hutchinson just inside the penalty box.
Nadesan stepped forward, and even though Bacon picked the correct side the ball had too much power to be stopped.
Town started the second half with Donohue hitting the post after cutting nicely, having received a lovely through ball from left wing-back Joe Maguire.
Then it was Victor Nirennold’s turn to have a go at the goal after advancing just inside the box, but the attempt from the wing back ended just wide from the goal.
After a corner from Garner, both Maguire and Nadesan had chances from close range saved by the Carlisle defense.
Nadesan would however make it 3-0 after a nice set-up from Donohue, that saw Garner play the striker in to finish well from close range.
Moments later, the former Horley Town striker converted yet another pass from Garner, with the latter having plenty of room down the left-hand side to deliver a perfectly timed cross which was expertly turned home.
The same man would go on to score his fourth of the day after Maguire replicated Garner’s assist just minutes late. A great afternoon’s work from Nadesan.
Having secured the victory with five goals in an hour, Town kept the tempo up and gave Carlisle little or no time on the ball.
Garner found Donahue on an overlapping run behind the Carlisle defense, but after cutting over to his left foot his upcoming shot from ten yards got saved by Bacon.
Six minutes before full time, Garner and Donohue combined yet again brilliantly, with the latter holding up the ball just in time to set up a chip shot from the striker.
Nirennold found Donohue on a run down the right corridor just before stoppage time, and the energetic midfielder nutmegged Hutchinson before he ran towards the first post, crossing the ball via a Carlisle defender and into his own net.
Despite the emphatic win for Murray’s side, they haven’t qualified for the next stage of the Central League Cup after losing to Wigan and Oldham earlier in the year.
Fleetwood XI: Crellin, Sheron, Baines, Higham, Nirennold, Doonhue, Des Pres, Trialist, Maguire, Nadesan, Garner.