Fleetwood Town’s Development Squad made it back-to-back wins in the Central League Cup after an impressive 3-1 victory at Huddersfield on Tuesday afternoon.
The Terriers took the lead through Abdelhamid Sabiri midway through the first half, but it was goals from Cian Bolger, Trialist and Kian Makepeace which saw the Cod Army leave West Yorkshire with all three points.
Fleetwood started off the match very brightly, against a team which contained five players who were named on the bench for Huddersfield’s Premier League match with Fulham on Monday night.
Stephen Crainey’s side had the first chance of the game through midfielder Kyle Dempsey. The 23-year-old broke through the defensive lines of the Huddersfield, and forced keeper Ben Hamer into a smart low save.
Even with the visiting side dominating, it was the home side who took the lead through Sabiri. The attacker made the most of his half chance and with a slight deflection on its way to goal, there was nothing Billy Crellin could do about it.
Despite being a goal down, Crainey’s men pushed on and kept playing the way they had been all throughout the half and nearly got their rewards through Chris Long. The forward latched onto the through ball from Ged Garner – who did superbly well to hold the ball up and find his partner – and was denied by Hamer, who made a smart save down to his right hand side.
The equaliser came five minutes before half time and as previously stated, it was just what Town deserved for their play. Bolger thought he had scored from the previous set piece, but there was no doubt he was getting his head onto Garner’s cross second time around.
The Irishman used his strength and power to head the ball past Hamer, and make it all square as the two sides went into the break.
Huddersfield came out in the second half wanting to start like Town did in the first half, and with five changes from the bench, that is what Mark Hudson – their coach – would have wanted.
Fleetwood’s Trialist thought he had given his side the lead from Garner’s free kick, however has he went to celebrate with his team mates, the linesman’s flag was up. It might have been a tight one.
He didn’t let that bother him as moments later he got his reward. This time it was Eddie Clarke from left who picked out the Trialist, and like Bolger’s goal, it was a powerful header that beat the substitute goalkeeper.
Makepeace came on for Long with ten minutes to go, and just five minutes later, he had his goal. Clarke again whipped in a delicious ball into the box, and put it on a six pence for the wide man to get his goal – finishing smartly from close range.
Town created more chances as the hosts pressed to get back into the game, but the Cod Army held out for the points and thoroughly deserved the win, which now sees Town on six points out of six in Group North.
Town XI: Crellin (GK), G. Jones, Clarke, Marney, Holgate, Bolger, Trialist, Biggins, Garner, Long (Makepeace 80’), Dempsey.
Subs not used: Clayton (GK), McCarragher