Fleetwood must settle for the runners-up position in the Lancashire FA Senior Cup after a 4-2 defeat to Bury at the County Ground on Wednesday night.
Ged Garner had put Town ahead early on, but Bury fought back to lead at half time thanks to Joe Adams and Chris Maguire’s penalty. Both Adams and Maguire scored again in the second half, sealing the trophy for the Shakers, despite a late Town rally that saw Dan Mooney add a second for his side.
Paul Murray named first team players Wes Burns, George Glendon, Markus Schwabl, Joe Maguire and Harrison Biggins in his side, just 24 hours after the 1-0 win over Oxford.
On a chilly night in Leyland, Fleetwood enjoyed some bright early possession, and took a deserved league inside ten minutes. Glendon’s corner was met by Biggins on the edge of the area, who crossed for Garner who flicked it in well. Garner soon came off with a nasty facial injury, Mooney was his replacement.
Fleetwood continued their good play after the goal, with Burns causing plenty of problems down the right side. His cross saw Schwabl strike from distance, but the strike was well blocked.
It was against the run of play that Bury equalised, and in fortunate circumstances too, as Adams’ effort took a wild deflection inside the penalty area to wrong foot Chris Neal and level the game up.
The leveler fired up Bury, who were on the front foot after that. They were able to take the lead when Maguire was felled inside the penalty area amongst a crowd of bodies. It was the same man who stepped up to slot the Gigg Lane side ahead.
Town battled hard in the second half and should have been level just a minute in when Joao Morelli narrowly missed from just inside the area. The Brazilian also struck the bar, as Fleetwood applied hard pressure to their opponents.
Chris Sang was having a lively game for the Shakers and he was twice denied by the Town defence as they survived an onslaught.
That was only a temporary reprieve for Fleetwood though, as Adams made it 3-1 with an audacious goal from the tightest angles. Having won the ball from Tutte on the far left, he was able to get the better of Chris Neal and fire into an empty net from near the corner flag.
Just two minutes later, Bury sealed the tie as they scored a fourth. It was another impressive strike, as Maguire bagged a second of the game with a textbook wonder goal from outside the area, as his curling effort beat Neal.
Fleetwood did step things up after the fourth goal, and did get one goal back as Mooney neatly struck home after receiving the ball on the right from Burns. It wasn’t enough for Fleetwood though, and Bury were able to survive a late rally to win that Lancashire FA Senior Cup.
Bury XI: Moloney (GK), Nyaupembe (C) , Hatton, Tutte, Shotton, Copping, Dai, Laurent, Sang, Maguire, Adams,
Substitute: Edwards-Williams (GK), Hill, Sadler, Seriki, Ondua.
Fleetwood XI: Neal (GK), Holgate, Oliver, Sheron, Maguire, Glendon (C), Biggins, Schwabl, Morelli, Garner, Burns.
Substitutes: Crellin (GK), Des Pres, Baines, Mooney, Rydel.