Fleetwood Town open the 2019/20 season with a comfortable 3-1 win away at pre-season promotion hopefuls Peterborough United.
With the sun shining down on the Weston Homes Stadium, it was Fleetwood who set the season alight early on with two quick goals from Harry Souttar and Josh Morris - which silenced the home crowd after an electric pre-match atmosphere from the Posh fans.
The home side did come out of the traps the quickest in the second half and with Ivan Toney grabbing his first of the season, it was then Danny Andrew to score Town’s third and the final goal of the match with a fine free-kick from 25-yards.
You'd have to say it was the perfect start for the Cod Army when Souttar scored the opening goal on the 4th minute of the game. Paul Coutts took the corner and after drilling it into that dangerous area of the pitch, it was the big man who rose the highest to head the ball home.
Morris made it two ten minutes later when he lobbed the keeper from close range. And after the long ball over the top, all the attacker had to do was get a soft touch on the ball and lift it over Christy Lym to see it find the back of the net. Just the start Town deserved for their positive approach.
Peterborough – who on the pitch and in the stands looked frustrated, did have moments in the first half but Town stood resolute in the back four and midfield three to limit Posh's chances in front of goal.
Siriki Dembele was the player looking most likely to make something happen for the hosts, and when he got one on one with Lewie Coyle, he worked a yard of space to shoot at goal, with Cairns pulling off a smart save with his feet.
As the teams then went in for the half-time, and a possible hair dryer treatment from Darren Ferguson, would we see a different Peterborough side that what was on the pitch in the opening 45?
Just as expected, Peterborough did come out of the traps the quickest after the break and with the threat of Dembele and Marcus Maddison after he came on the pitch, the home crowd were lifted – but only to see Fleetwood in the way of every shot that came their way.
Fans’ favourite George Boyd returned to the club in the summer, and when he got the ball played to him 25-yards from goal, there was only one thing in his mind. With his shot at goal, it was up to Cairns to deny the creative midfielder.
The home side pulled one back after Maddison whipped in a dangerous ball into the penalty area, and it was Ivan Toney who guided it home to give them some hope against the Cod Army.
Ashley Hunter was introduced into the game with 15 minutes to go, and went through on goal however was fouled by Beevers outside the Posh area. A set-piece the defender wish he had never given away.
Andrew placed the ball on the spot and curled his free-kick into the far corner, giving Pym not much opportunity to tip it out for a corner. With the pressure on the Cod Army, it was the perfect time to get the third goal.
With three points on the board, and a promising performance from all Fleetwood Town players, it’s now a week until they welcome AFC Wimbledon to Highbury in the first home league match of the new season.
Posh XI: Pym (GK), Butler, Woodyard, Beevers ©, Kent, Eisa, Dembele, Toney, Boyd, Ward (Maddison 61’), Mason.
Subs not used: Chapman (GK), Naismith, Reed, Blake-Tracey, Tasdemir, Kanu.
Town XI: Cairns (GK),Coyle, Andrew, Clarke, Souttar, Burns, Biggins, McAleny (Madden 70’), Morris (Hunter 77’), Coutts © (Sowerby 86’), Rossiter.
Subs not used: Crellin (GK), Eastham, Saunders, Rydel.