Fleetwood Town came away 1-0 winners against Wrexham in the club’s first pre-season friendly on Friday evening at Poolfoot Farm.
Joey Barton side looked the most dangerous on the evening by creating many chances, but it was striker Michael Fowler who scored the only goal of the match 15 minutes from time.
Dan Mooney – who made his EFL debut in the last match of last season - did well in the build-up to win the ball high-up the pitch, and after going round the goalkeeper, he picked his head up to find Fowler unmarked two-yards from goal.
The match started off with Fleetwood dominating the possession in the early stages, creating a few openings, but nothing too clear cut.
Conor McAleny looked lively in the first-half, working the ball well by drifting inside and out of the Wrexham defenders, where he then played a lovely through ball to summer signing Josh Morris - whose shot at goal was saved by Christian Dibble.
Morris returned the favour moments later as his ball down the wing set free McAleny. The forward dragged out the central defender, and managed to win his side a corner. The set-piece unfortunately came of nothing.
Barton mixed the formation up midway through the first half and went from a 4-3-3 shape to a 3-5-2, with Morris and Burns operating in the wing back roles, and Ash Hunter partnering McAleny up top. Town enjoyed good spells in the opening 45 minutes, but couldn’t take the chances that fell their way.
The second half started off with eleven changes. Ashley Eastham entered the fray along with midfielder Jack Sowerby, Eddie Clarke and a number of Development Squad players.
The home side - mixed with experience and youth - again looked the keep control of the game, and with some patient build-up down the left hand side, Eddie Clarke made a dazzling room to the byline. The full-back did well to lift his head up, picked out Dan Mooney, whose first time effort was saved by the Wrexham goalkeeper.
Confidence grew within the Town players, and striker Harvey Saunders showed his pace by making a late run into the box, receiving Clarke’s pass on his first touch. This time he just putting his shot narrowly wide of goal.
Former Fleetwood midfielder Bobby Grant made his appearance midway through the second-half, and had the visitors first chance of the second half by pulling the trigger from long distance. His effort was saved comfortably by the keeper, Matt Gilks.
With just over ten minutes left in the match, Michael Fowler scored from close range after a mistake in the back line of the Wrexham back line. Mooney did well to nick the ball deep inside the opponents half, and unselfishly passed the ball across the area to give Fowler a simply tap in. Just what the home side deserved on the night.
Town managed to hold, meaning they now head to Portugal with a win under their belt in their first match of the new campaign.
Fleetwood XI: Cairns (GK), Andrew, Biggins, Burns, Dempsey, McAleny, Morris, Sheron, Smith, Morgan, Hunter
Subs: Gilks (GK), Clarke, Eastham, Saunders, Southam-Hales, Mooney, Sowerby, Matete, Clarke, Morris, Baggley, Crellin (GK), Holgate, Hill, Rydel, Fowler
Wrexham XI: Dibble (GK), Barnham-Bobb, Jennings, Pearson, Summerfield, Young, Hooper, Harris, Lopes, Wright, Chambers
Subs: Szczepeniak (GK), Sargent, Grant, Carrington, Rutherford, McGregor, Beaumont, Thorn, Barton, Fondop, Redmond