Fleetwood Town narrowly lost to Burnley in a 5-4 penalty shootout the Lancashire FA Senior Cup at Barnfield Training Centre.
The Cod Army played well throughout the game, with Jay Matete, Barry Baggley, and Ged Garner creating chances but none were able to hit the target. Although James Cottam saved a penalty in the shootout, it wasn’t to be for Fleetwood on the day.
The first chance of the game fell to the hosts as Jordan Cropper provided a long throw-in from the right, which found Joe McGlynn in the box. He took the ball down well but struck the ball straight at Cottam.
Two minutes later, Fleetwood went on the attack as Dan Mooney stormed down the right-wing, managed to work a yard of space by taking on Ali Kioki, but his strike went high and wide of the target.
The best chance of the first half fell to Matete. Ryan Rydel picked up the ball on the left and played it into Matete’s feet. He drove forward towards the Burnley backline and tried his luck from 18-yards, but his effort was just wide of the near post.
After a short water break midway through the first-half, Mooney did well to find Saunders, who was running through the backline, but unfortunately, the keeper raced out and stopped the attack.
Town looked the better side after 30 minutes and almost took the lead as Baggley’s free-kick struck the wall, but the ball fell to Matete on the edge of the box, but his effort went just wide of the post.
The final chance of the half went to the home side as a set-piece is whipped into the box from the left, which finds Scott Wilson who headed just wide.
Fleetwood came out the better side in the second half and the first came after just five minutes as Garner got on the end of a lofted ball and forced Jensen into a diving save. Mooney was in the box for the follow-up but the defence was able to clear.
Town carried on the pressure as Harvey Saunders chased down a loose pass back to the keeper and forced him to slice his clearance. The ball ended up at the feet of Garner but his chipped effort was easily collected by Jensen.
Fleetwood couldn’t have gone any closer just before the hour mark as Baggley played a quick free-kick to Matete, who ran into the box and forced the keeper to push his effort onto the post.
After the second drinks break of the game, Burnley won a free kick on the edge of the Fleetwood area, after Baggley brought down Richardson. Ne-Jai Tucker tried his luck with the set-piece but his effort went wide of the near post, which Cottam had covered.
Shayden Morris and Michael Fowler both came on late on in the game and both connected well. Fowler played the ball to Morris on the edge of the box, but he was unlucky not to get the ball past his man.
The final chance of the 90 minutes fell to Fleetwood as Rydel struck a free-kick over the wall and just past the post.
With the game going to penalties, Burnley stepped up first as McGlynn slotted the ball past Cottam. Laurence Smith and Saunders, unfortunately, missed their penalties as Olatunde Bayode scored the winner.
Burnley: Jensen (GK), Cropper, Kioki, Goodridge (N’Guessan), Glennon, Wilson, Fenlon (Richardson 45’), Benson, Bayode, McGlynn, Tucker.
Subs not used: McMahon (GK), Cooney, Rain.
Fleetwood Town: Cottam (GK); Smith, Hill, Holgate, Rydel; Baggley (Fowler 82’), Matete, Sheron; Mooney, Garner (Morris 75’), Saunders.
Subs not used: Pengelly (GK), Goldsbrough, O’Halleron.