Fleetwood Town secured their place in the Third Round of the FA Youth Cup after a 2-1 victory over Lancashire rivals Morecambe at the Mazuma Stadium.
Morecambe took the lead in the match after a stunning strike from Lennon Dobson, who struck the ball well on the half volley to give his side an important start against the Category Two side. Fleetwood showed great character and managed to pull one back before half-time thanks to midfielder, Harvey Fletcher.
In the second 45 minutes, Town scored quickly through Hermann Daha and managed to hold on to reach the Third Round of the FA Youth Cup and set up a tie against Liverpool at Highbury, despite going down to ten men.
You'd have to say it was Fleetwood who settled into the game the better of the two sides, despite the half chance for the hosts in the second minute, which captain Kayden Hughes dealt with at ease inside his own 18-yard box.
When Jack Doherty - who was in the Northern Ireland Under-19s squad this week - broke free inside the box, he looked up to find a teammate, but with lack of bodies inside the danger zone, his left footed cross alluded all those inside.
The same move happened five minutes later, this time it was Pele Smith - one from Town's Under-16s - who powered into the final third, but this time his cross met Hermann Daha, who couldn't get that all important touch to send the ball home.
With Town dominating, all it took was one break from Morecambe, and this is how their first goal and the opening goal of the match came about. The cross from the left was half dealt with, but only to the edge of the box with Dobson waiting to send the ball back through a crowded penalty area, with keeper Oli Bellizia unsighted.
Mark Yeates' side reacted well to going a goal down and levelled things just after the half hour mark. Liam Roberts did superbly well down the left and he pulled back the cross to find the on-looking Fletcher - who struck it on the sweet spot - to slot the ball past Scales between the Shrimps sticks.
After the restart, it was all Fleetwood and they got their rewards yet again when Daha headed home from under the crossbar. Town had two chances before to go ahead, but Lane and Roberts' dinks over the keeper both hit the bar - but the man of the minute was on hand to give the Young Cods the lead for the first time in the match.
The game saw chances for both teams with 20 minutes left on the clock. Town made changes with Jack Doherty going off for Dom Richmond - who scored on his full Monserrat debut in midweek, and more fresh legs were brought on to help those out on the pitch try to get over the line.
Town were made to work for the last 10 minutes as striker Lane was shown a straight red for a challenge off the ball. It caught all those by surprise inside the stadium as the linesman called over the referee, and he produced the red card.
Yeates side will now welcome Premier League side Liverpool to Highbury Stadium, with the tie to be played before Saturday 16 December 2023.
Morecambe's XI: Scales (GK), Lynchey, V.Wright, Dobson, Evans (C), L.Holden, Stewart-Cooney, Mercer, Fox-Akande, McKean (Ballantyne, 75), Fairclough.
Subs not used: Ascroft (GK), Sowerby, Crane, Whaite, M.Holden, O.Wright
Town's XI: Bellizia (GK), Cirino, Thompson, Smith, Butterworth, Hughes (C), Daha (Elmore, 89'), Fletcher, Lane, Doherty (Richmond, 69'), Roberts (Haughey, 75').
Subs not used: Woodward (GK), Eccles, Animasaun, Currie.