Fleetwood Town made yet more history in the Emirates FA Cup on Tuesday night as they managed to stop Sheffield Wednesday’s unbeaten run by beating them 1-0 at Highbury.
In a game that was the polar opposite from Saturday afternoon, the willingness and determination from the Cods showed from start to finish as Carlos Mendes Gomes’ header in the second half was the difference on the afternoon.
Scott Brown’s men started the game with an electric pace as the first chance came just four minutes into the game. Phoenix Patterson played a low ball across the face of goal, with Promise Omochere waiting in the centre, but he couldn’t get a touch on it.
Soon after, Town’s number 20 had two more chances to open the scoring, with the side feeling unlucky not to have broken the deadlock. His header on the first one went just wide of the near post, and the second one struck the inside of the post but didn’t go in.
The visitors did have a chance in between those from Omochere as Fisayo Dele-Bashiru was played in by a skilful Lee Gregory pass and, although his shot was on target, it didn’t trouble Jay Lynch as he comfortably saved the shot.
Town’s frontline were causing all sorts of problems throughout the half and Omochere had yet another chance to find the back of the net 25 minutes in, and he seemed to do well after being pulled back in the box, but his shot went wide off the mark.
Even though Wednesday could have gone ahead just after when Gregory headed Liam Palmer’s cross onto Lynch’s crossbar, it didn’t stop Fleetwood’s attacking threats as Patterson curled an effort just wide of the top-right, and Danny Andrew’s free-kick was well saved by Stockdale.
With the first real chance of the second half, Mendes Gomes found the back of the Wednesday goal what a goal it was! Patterson played a free-kick in towards the near post and Town’s number seven leapt higher than anyone else before his header flew into the net to make it 1-0.
Chances were at a premium in the second period after the Mendes Gomes goal, but the mentality shown by the Cods was enough to drag them over the line and earn the first Fifth Round spot in the Emirates FA Cup in the club’s history!
Town XI: Lynch (GK), Andrew (C), Wiredu, Mendes Gomes (Macadam 75’), Robertson, Warrington, Holgate, Omochere, Hayes, Patterson, Johnston.
Unused subs: McMullan (GK), Johnson, Nsiala, Boyle, Thiam, Baker, McMillan.
Owls XI: Stockdale (GK), Palmer (C) (Iorfa 46’), Brown, Wilks, Adeniran (Byers 70’), Gregory (Smith 46’), Famewo (Alimi-Adetoro 46’), Dele-Bashiru, Bakinson, Fusire (Windass 70’), Hunt.
Unused subs: Dawson (GK), Johnson, Shipston, Durrant.