Fleetwood Town suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat in their Thursday evening clash to Barnsley at Oakwell.
Even though Admiral Muskwe came off the bench and converted a spot kick to bring Town back into the game after James Norwood’s opener, it was Robbie Cundy’s header six minutes from time that decided the result and saw the Cods head home empty-handed.
The game took a while to spark into life, but there were some clear-cut chances when it did. James Norwood had the first effort, which had to be saved by Jay Lynch, and former-Cod Devante Cole was in the box ready for the rebound, but that was deflected wide and out for a corner.
From that set piece, Lynch had to stop a header and then start a counter for Fleetwood down the right. Callum Morton chased down the ball and fizzed it across the face of goal, but it, unfortunately, wasn’t by either Ged Garner or Carlos Mendes Gomes.
Everyone had to wait another 10 minutes for the next chance, after most of the play was the in the middle of the park when Herbie Kane was played in by Norwood and struck the ball wide of the near post. Not long after, Cole was denied from close range after good closing down by Toto Nsiala.
The Cods finished the half strongly as they created two half-chances before the break. The first came from a Morton cross, that almost found the head of Mendes Gomes, but the home defence was there to clear.
Town’s number seven had another effort a minute after, but he couldn’t quite get his shot off in time before a challenge came in. Josh Vela tried to keep the ball alive and pick out G.Garner inside the box but, once again, the Tykes defended it well.
It took a while for the second half to spring into life and it was the hosts who took advantage as they burst into the lead in the 64th minute as Liam Kitching played Norwood through on goal and he powered his effort into the roof of the net making the game 1-0 to the home side.
Scott Brown’s side were in the ascendancy then as substitute Cian Hayes caused trouble straight after coming on, firing wide from inside the area, with another man from the bench, Muskwe, running at the back line soon after and winning a penalty after being fouled by Mads Andersen.
The forward stepped up to the spot and converted, finding the bottom left corner. The game lost its way as Michael Duff was shown a red card after disagreeing with a decision made by the referee, and the Cundy nodded home a corner to give the hosts the lead for the second time in the game.
Fleetwood tried their best to try and find a way back into the game but it wasn’t meant to be as the Tykes took all three points on the night.
Tykes XI: Collins (GK), Williams, Kitching, Andersen (C), Cadden, Kane (Jalo 84’), Norwood, Cundy, Phillips (Wolfe 65’), Cole (Martin 84’), Connell.
Unused subs: Walton (GK), Moon, Ackroyd, Larkeche.
Town XI: Lynch (GK), Andrew, Wiredu, Mendes Gomes (Hayes 67’), Vela (C), Morton (Lane 79’), Warrington (Omochere 88'), G.Garner (Muskwe 67’), Nsiala, Johnston, Earl.
Unused subs: Stolarczyk (GK), J.Garner, Batty.