Fleetwood Town played out a close fought stalemate with Morecambe at the Mazuma Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Shayden Morris came closest for Town in the first half when he was denied by the goalkeeper. Cole Stockton had the best of the hosts’ chances in the second half, but his close-range effort was kept out by Alex Cairns.
Morecambe had the first chance of the game when Ryan Cooney picked up the ball on the right. His cross found Adam Phillips in the box whose headed effort flew just wide of the post.
17 minutes in, Town came close to breaking the deadlock when Ged Garner threaded the ball through to Morris who made the run in behind the Shrimps defence. His strike forced goalkeeper Kyle Letheren into action, who stood tall and denied Morris with his feet.
Carl Johnston dribbled past two before finding Paddy Lane who tried his luck from range. His optimistic effort was too high to trouble the goalkeeper.
Phillips was looking a threat for the hosts as he stood over a free-kick from 20 yards. However, the Fleetwood wall stood tall to block the effort.
Phillips was at the heart of the action once again when he picked out Stockton in the final third. The Shrimps number nine took one touch before unleashing a strike from the edge of the area. His curling effort soared narrowly over the crossbar.
The Cod Army came close to taking the lead just before the break when Danny Andrew twisted left and turned right to beat his marker. He found space 20 yards from goal, but his effort nestled into the gloves of Letheren.
Town started the second half well when Harrison Biggins’ found Morris in a promising position. He drove down the right flank before firing a low ball into the six-yard box, but the Shrimps stopper intercepted the cross.
At the other end, a player from within the fog played a long ball into the Fleetwood area. It was Stockton who rose highest, but his header was off target – this didn’t matter as the assistant’s flag was raised.
With just over 20 minutes to play, Garner looked to break the deadlock from range. His effort forced Letheren into a smart diving save to his left.
Multiple half chances were created by the home side, but the Town defence couldn’t be broken and were in the way to block every shot.
With just minutes to go, Stockton latched onto a long ball over the top and found himself one on one with Cairns. However, the Fleetwood stopper saved superbly – diving to his left to keep the ball out.
For a moment it looked like Danny Andrew had won it for his side when his free-kick beat the wall, but the Shrimps stopper was in the way to turn the ball behind for a corner.
Town XI: Cairns (GK), Andrew (C), McLaughlin, Clarke, Garner, Matete, Morris (Conn-Clarke 73’), Biggins (Camps 81’), Lane, Johnston, Hayes.
Unused subs: Crellin (GK), Edmondson, Clark, Doyle, Bird.
Morecambe XI: Letheren (GK), Mclaughlin, Leigh, O’Connor (C), Stockton, Obika (Ayunga 56’), Phillips (Wildig 76’), McLoughlin, Cooney, Gibson, McCalmont (Diagouraga 64’).
Unused subs: Andrésson (GK), Jones, Wildig, Mensah, Gnahoua.
Attendance: 4018 (559 away)