Fleetwood Town were well beaten on Easter Monday by promotion chasing Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium.
It was an Easter weekend to forget for the Cod Army, with Oxford United started the two better of the two teams dominating the possession in the opening 10 minutes. Tommy Lonergan had a fantastic chance to send the Cods in front as he burst through one-on-one with the U’s keeper before putting his chipped effort just wide.
It was the hosts who took the lead though. Cameron Brannagan picked up the ball from just outside of the box. The former Liverpool midfielder dummied a strike before his eventual shot deflected heavily leaving Jay Lynch rooted to the spot.
At the half hour mark, the hosts doubled their lead. The U’s won possession in the middle of the park before sending a through ball to Josh Murphy on the wing. The 29-year-old made no mistake crossing the ball in for Mark Harris to convert from close range.
Phoenix Patterson almost halved the deficient with a well-struck free kick with the effort hitting the crossbar.
It soon went from bad to worse for the Cods as Oxford made it 3-0. Just before half-time, Owen Dale scored the third after Josh Murphy played in defender Joe Bennett; his shot was saved but the ball fell straight to Dale who fired home.
Head coach Charlie Adam made a double change at the break with Shaun Rooney and Carl Johnston coming on for Phoenix Patterson and Imari Samuels.
The Cods started the brighter out of the two teams, with Carl Johnston coming close but his shot went just wide. Lonergan had another opportunity with a headed effort, although it was straight into the hands of Jamie Cumming in the Oxford goal.
Fleetwood Town rolled the dice once again with a double substitution of Danny Mayor and Jayden Stockley coming on for Promise Omochere and Gavin Kilkenny.
The team from Lancashire tried to get back into the game but to no avail. In the 83rd minute, Oxford made it four. Mark Harris doubled his tally with another deflected effort. Nothing Jay Lynch could do about it in the Fleetwood goal.
Overall, it was a very disappointing afternoon in Oxfordshire. The defeat leaves the Cods in 23rd position in League One, six points adrift with five matches to go.
Town XI: Lynch (GK), Patterson, Wiredu (C), Campbell, Heneghan, Samuels, Lawal, Kilkenny, Omochere, Lonergan, Graydon.
Unused Subs: McMullan (GK), Simons.
Oxford XI: Cumming, Long, Bennett, Moore (C), Brown, Brannagan, Dale (Brown, 61’), Rodrigues (Henry, 70’), Goodrham (Bodin, 70’), Murphy, Harris.
Unused Subs: Eastwood, Thorniley, McEachran.
