Fleetwood Town’s Lancashire derby against Wigan Athletic ended in a goalless draw on a cold Saturday afternoon at the DW Stadium.
A game dominated by Fleetwood chances but with no reward for the hard work and persistence shown by the Cod Army the points were shared.
It was the Town who started the game better as the first chance of the came to the Cod Army as Danny Andrew found Callum Camps in the middle of the park who drove forward, found Paddy Madden in half a yard of space but his snapshot went wide of the post.
The hosts’ first attack of the game fell just short of the ten-minute-mark where Tom Pearce whipped a ball in from the left-hand side, but it was brave defending from Callum Connolly to bravely put his body on the line to deny Callum Lang a goal-scoring opportunity.
Ten minutes passed where both sides were trying to get a foothold of the game, but it was a huge chance for the Latics as a through ball from Corey Whelan found Pearce behind Fleetwood’s defence, but his effort flew past the post.
A golden opportunity to open the deadlock fell to captain Madden - it was the brave determination of Jordan Rossiter to win the ball back as possession fell to Madden who spread play wide to Shayden Morris who crossed the ball in with such speed but Madden’s header went just over the bar from six yards out.
It was the Cod Army who started to work their way up the gears as they teased Wigan’s defence with a few successive chances and crosses in from the right: the best chance of them all was Madden’s half-volley from the left-hand side which Jamie Jones saved.
Just short of the half-hour mark Wigan had a chance to react to the visitors’ constant pressure as Dan Gardner found himself in a yard of space but his drilled effort went wide of the post.
The following ten minutes Town tried to take control of the game, dominating the ball but lacking the cutting edge in the final third, with an ambitious strike from Rossiter from distance not changing the score-line.
A few moments after, a lapse in concentration from Town’s defence as Wigan posed a threat in a form of a short corner but Zach Clough couldn’t find the back of the net with his snapshot 12 yards out.
Fleetwood started the second half the better side, not allowing the home-side room to breathe with the ball but there was no reward to show for the hard work as Town’s first effort of the half came in a form of a header from Madden as he peeled off his man, but his header was tame for Jones to claim.
After a variety of Town chances, it took the Latics 22 minutes to work their way into Fleetwood territory as Lang found himself at the back post where Alex Cairns had to make himself big to deny Lang’s touch as it proved vital save to keep the hosts at bay.
With ten minutes to go, Town started to up the tempo, a swift counter-attack as Madden’s clever flick opened up play to introduce Josh Morris but the substitute’s driven ball was only blocked out for a corner.
Town XI: Cairns (GK), Andrew, Connolly, Camps, Mulgrew, Rossiter (Whelan 65’) (Duffy 71’), Madden (C), Vassell, Donacien, Finley, S.Morris (J.Morris 65’)
Subs not used: Coleman (GK), Sa, Holgate, Rydel
Wigan XI: Jones (GK) (C), Darikwa, Pearce, Johnston, Whelan, Clough (Aasgaard 76’), Lang, Gardner, Joseph, Merrie, Perrie
Subs not used: Evans (GK), Crankshaw, Obi, Robinson