Fleetwood Town claimed their 19th win of the season with a 1-0 victory over MK Dons at Highbury Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Promise Omochere’s goal just before the half-time interval was enough to seperate the two sides on a summers afternoon on the Fylde Coast after Jack Marriott set-up his teammate.
The hosts started off the match on the front foot, and when Phoenix Patterson whipped in the corner from the right-hand side, it was met by Brendan Wiredu – who headed on target, but down the keeper’s throat.
Jayden Stockley had the next big chance. Shaun Rooney charged down the right flank and pulled the ball back to our number nine, with his effort getting a deflection taking it wide.
Town defender Josh Earl went down with less than ten minutes on the clock with a suspected hamstring injury. Not what head coach Scott Brown would have wanted. Toto Nsiala was the first early change.
The visitors did have the ball in the back of the net in the 12th minute, but as the ball rolled over the line from Mo Eisa shot, he turned away to see the linesman’s flag up for offside.
Midway through the first half, Everton loanee Lewis Warrington tried his luck from 25-yards, but on the way into the bottom corner, it caught at MK Dons defender, who guided it away for a corner.
Stephen McMullan – who made his debut today – was called into action on the half-hour mark. Jonathan Leko beat the offside trap, but not the keeper, who stuck out his right leg to deny the ball heading goal bound.
Patterson nearly game Town the lead with a low driven shot. The former Waterford winger twisted his defender inside out before getting his strike on target.
Just before the half-time whistle, Omochere gave the hosts the lead. Marriott did well to flick the ball onto his fellow forward, who had the composure to side foot the ball home from close range.
Town should have doubled their lead in added on time. Marriott and Patterson both had bites of the cherry, but it wasn’t to be as the goal difference stayed at one until the match restarted.
MK Dons came out the traps the better of the two sides after the break. Former Blackpool forward Sulley Kaikai had a go from range but dragged his effort well wide of McMullan’s right-hand post.
Marriott looked lively all afternoon and could have made it 2-0 when his strike hit the post. He twisted left past his defender, took the strike early which beat the keeper, but not the post.
The visitors made three changes on the hour, with midfielder Connor Grant going through on goal, but as he pulled the trigger, Nsiala was there to block the shot out for a corner.
The defender was at it again with 12 minutes left on the clock. He made a vital block on the line before McMullan saved one, then Nsiala made two further tackles in the space of five seconds – excellent defending!
Fleetwood saw out the remainder of the game and picked up three points in their penultimate home match of the season.
Town XI: McMullan (GK), Wiredu, Vela ©, Stockley, Marriott (Hayes, 88’), Warrington (Batty, 81’), Omochere, Patterson (Quitirna, 81’), Rooney, Johnston, Earl (Nsiala, 9’).
Subs not used: Lynch (GK), White, Brown.
MK Dons XI: Cumming (GK), Watson, Lewington ©, Tucker, O’Hora, McEachran (Devoy, 62’), Eisa (Grigg, 81’), Leko (Holland, 61’), Kaikai, Jules (Grant, 61’), Maghoma.
Subs not used: Ravizzoli (GK), B.Johnson, Lawrence.