Fleetwood Town overcame Sky Bet Championship opponents in Huddersfield Town on Tuesday night 2-1, thanks to goals from Shayden Morris and Ged Garner.
In a game where fans were welcomed back into Highbury for the first time in 507 days, it was a solid showing as the Cod Amy took a two-goal lead in the first half playing some impressive football which took Fleetwood into the break with a lead; Huddersfield responded with a goal with 15 minutes to go, but Fleetwood defended strongly to hold out for a win.
With just five minutes played, it was Fleetwood who took the lead as Morris took advantage of a loose ball and superbly struck the ball into the left corner from 20 yards out.
It was at Fleetwood who dictated the play in the opening ten minutes, really putting on a show for the Cod Army fans who are in the stands for the first time in 507 days, putting the ball around confidently.
Huddersfield’s first effort on target came just before 15 minutes played as Josh Ruffels’ strike was matched by Alex Cairns.
With a quarter of an hour played, it was an even affair between the two with the hosts just seeming to edge the difference as Morris looked dangerous down the right-hand side every attack with Paddy Lane equal on the left.
On the half an hour mark, it was Garner who doubled Fleetwood’s lead as his unorthodox, acrobatic over-head kick from a few yards out found its way into the back of the net.
With 36 minutes played, Fleetwood worked a smart move where Brad Halliday sprayed the ball wide to Max Clark, the latter returned the ball to Halliday where he saw his half-volley flew over the bar.
Just before half-time, Jordan Rossiter was tripped on the edge of the box and Danny Andrew stood over the free-kick – the free-kick was dangerous and was just tipped onto the post by Ryan Schofield.
A few early chances in the second period came the visitors’ way, but it was Fleetwood whose effort tested either goalkeeper the most first as Morris pounced on the Terriers’ defenders’ mistake, laid it off for Rossiter whose drilled effort was saved.
On the hour mark, Huddersfield enjoyed a spell of possession with a few consecutive corners along with it, but their account wasn’t opened.
After a spell of pressure from the visitors, they halved the deficit as Lewis O’Brien found a yard of space and drilled an effort past Cairns into the bottom corner.
In the remaining 15 minutes, Huddersfield looked to build on their goal, but the Cod Army defended resiliently in what was a good outing for Simon Grayson’s men in front of fans for the first time in a long while.
Town XI: Cairns (GK), Halliday (Johnston 75’), Andrew, Clarke (Hill 63’), Lane, Rossiter (C), Holgate, Garner (Conn-Clarke 75’), Matete (Biggins 16’) , Morris (Morton 63’), Clark (McMillan 75’).
Subs not used: Crellin (GK), Boyle, Baggley, Thiam.
Terriers XI: Schofield (GK) (Nicholls 45’), Pipa, (Tofollo 62’), Rhodes (C) (Ward 62’), Koroma (Hogg 61’), Brown (Pearson 62)’, Ruffels (O’Brien 62’), Thomas, Sarr (High 62’), Critchlow (Turton 62), Austerfield (Colwill 62’), Diarra (Holmes 62’).
Subs not used: Vallyo, Jackson, Bilokaptic.