Fleetwood Town (Away)

Jul 11, 2023 | 2023 A Season in Review

Highbury Stadium Monday 10th April 2023

Fleetwood Town 1

Stockley (22)

Bristol Rovers 2

Gibson (56), Ward (G) (66)

Referee: Sam Barrott Attendance: 3,792

The same 18 players that were in included in the squad to face Charlton Athletic just three days earlier, were all on duty again for this Easter Monday clash on the Fylde coast.

Manager Joe Barton, returning to the club he once managed for the first time since his departure, made two changes to his starting lineup, with John Marquis and Aaron Collins coming in at the expense of Josh Coburn and Scott Sinclair.

Once again the tactic seemed to be to push on with one striker and pack the midfield and, by and large, it paid off once again.

Barton’s side controlled most of the first half proceedings, but still went in a goal down at the break thanks to some poor defending at a corner from the right. The ball was swung in to the back post and knocked back into the danger area by Shaun Rooney to the not so closely marked Jayden Stockley who comfortably glanced a header past James Belshaw.

That was at the midway point of the half and was the only real goal attempt from the hosts all afternoon. In spite of enjoying long spells of possession, though, Rovers didn’t really create any scoring opportunities until the final five minutes when three headed efforts should have yielded at least one goal.

First of all, Collins crossed to Marquis who headed over and then two crosses from the impressive Lewis Gordon saw a glancing header from Collins comfortably saved by Jay Lynch and then Antony Evans somehow managed to head the best chance of the three wide of the upright.

Barton made two changes at the start of the second half, sending on Ryan Loft and Coburn in place of Marquis and Evans and almost immediately there was a notable increase in the pressure on Fleetwood’s back line.

Eleven minutes after the restart a free kick by Collins was spilt by Lynch and Connolly and then Coburn attempted to force the rebound over the line. Coburn’s effort hit the post and the ball then fell kindly to Lewis Gibson who smashed in his first ever career goal from five yards. It made up for the miskick he managed when well placed in the first half and he certainly enjoyed celebrating his strike in front of friends and family.

Rovers carried on taking the game to the home side and they were rewarded for their persistence with a second goal ten minutes later. The scorer was Grant Ward, who notched his first goal in a Rovers shirt in spectacular fashion.

Having collected a pass from Collins some thirty yards from goal, the midfielder looked up to deliver a cross into the area. At least that’s what everyone thought, but somehow he managed to deceive everyone and the ball sailed over keeper Lynch and into the net. The poor shot stopper was left clutching thin air as the ball sailed over his head and into the net.

Cross or shot, it didn’t matter as it was a second Easter win for Rovers, taking them on to 51 points for the season, virtually guaranteeing League One football again next season.

Fleetwood Town: Lynch, Sarpong-Wiredu, Ndaba, Earl, Rooney, Macadam (Batty, 16) (Quitirna, 80), Warrington (Robertson, 80), Vela, Patterson, Stockley, Marriott (Omochere, 69).

Substitutes: McMullan, Nsiala, Johnston.

Bristol Rovers: Belshaw, Hoole, Connolly, Gibson, Gordon, Evans (Loft, 46), Finley (Anderson, 90), Bogarde, Ward (G), Collins (Gibbons, 82), Marquis (Coburn, 46).

Substitutes: Ward (J), Sinclair, McCormick.

ALSO

There were no former Rovers players in the Fleetwood Town side

Yellow cards were issued to Aaron Collins and manager Joe Barton

Sam Finley was skipper and then Lewis Gibson for the final few minutes

First Rovers, and career, goal for Gibson

First Rovers goal for Ward

Four substitutes used

Six added minutes

(photos courtesy of JMP)

Keith Brookman