Fleetwood Town came out on top in their pre-season friendly against Croatian side HNK Orijent 1919 on Saturday afternoon, beating them 3-0 at Stadion Krimeja.
It was a dominant performance from the Cods in Rijeka as Paddy Lane opened the scoring early on in the first half, with Joe Garner netting a penalty and Toto Nsiala finding a third to see Fleetwood coast to a comfortable win.
It was a lively start to the game from Town as they managed to create four chances in the opening 10 minutes, starting with a low effort from Joe Garner, which forced a save from Patrik Mohorović.
Paddy Lane was at the centre of the early action as he found the head of Shaun Rooney, who headed on target, before Lane had an effort himself, which was blocked at the edge of the box.
10 minutes in, Josh Edwards carried on his good run of form so far in pre-season as he stormed down the left and whipped in a cross towards J.Garner, but Mario Tadejević got in the way and took a knock to the head at the same time.
It looked like Fleetwood were going to take the lead at the quarter-hour mark as Josh Vela won the ball back in the middle of the park, with Barry Baggley and J.Garner working together to play in Lane, who is denied by the onrushing goalkeeper.
The deadlock was broken 27 minutes in as the ball found it’s way to Lane on the edge of the box, who does well to dummy a strike and push the ball onto his right foot, before firing his effort into the bottom corner.
It could have been two soon after as Vela and Rooney link up to play the ball in from the right, with it ending up at the feet of Barry Baggley, but Mohorović somehow saved from close range.
The second goal did come for the Cods two minutes after that though as a penalty was awarded, which J.Garner stepping up and confidently firing inside the right-hand post.
Just before the break, Town had another chance through Lane once again, but his ambitious effort was dragged wide of the near post.
It was a quiet start to the second half, with the first real chance coming in the 66th minute. The hosts worked a yard of space for substitute Jelic who cut in on his right foot, but fired high and wide.
With 16 minutes to go, Town made it three as Josh Earl rose highest to get on the end of a corner, who played in Nsiala inside the box, who finessed his shot into the top right corner.
Everyone in the stadium was unsure how we didn’t get a fourth late on as Earl had a header pushed onto the bar before a close range effort was somehow kept out by substitute goalkeeper Kristian Boglić.
Town will now finish their tour in Croatia before heading back to England to face Stoke City in their next friendly on Saturday 16 July.
Orijent XI: Mohorović (Boglić 46’), Švrljuga (Zuliani 46’), Mulac (Milinović 46’), Tadejević (Jukičić 46’), Senčar (Milanović 64’), Putnik (Ivančić 46’), Mohorocičić (Fatić 46’), Gadže (Srzentic 46’), Šarković (Macolić 64’), Dukadin (Ibishi 46’), Zrilić (Jelic 64’).
Unused subs: N/A
Town XI: Lynch (GK) (Cairns 60’), Rooney (Johnston 60’), Holgate (Earl 46’), Johnson (Nsiala 46’), J.Edwards (Andrew 19’), Baggley (G.Garner 60’) (Bird 69’), Vela (Boyle 60’), Wiredu (Batty 60’), Lane (Morris 60’), J.Garner (Harrison 60’), Hayes (Conn-Clarke 60’).
Unused subs: Donaghy (GK).