THEY’RE LOOKING REALLY POSH!
Evans’ men stay top by seeing off Shrimpers
PETERBOROUGH United manager Steve Evans hailed his table-topping side’s spirit after they won a thriller 3-2 at Southend.
After seeing a two-goal lead wiped out, Ivan Toney popped up with an 87th minute winner for Posh.
Evans said: “We showed fantastic spirit and I thought we deserved it.”
In League Two, new Notts County manager Harry Kewell was red carded as the Magpies crashed to a 5-1 defeat at Exeter. His old side Crawley won 1-0 at Lincoln City.
PADDY MADDEN’S missed penalty saw Fleetwood Town blow the chance to move above Sunderland for the first time in their history.
Dominant for long spells, the visitors created a host of chances and took the lead through Madden’s ninth-minute header.
But after Josh Maja equalised, Adam Matthews’ senseless lunge on James Husband saw referee Darren Drysdale point to the spot.
Cue chaos, as Ched Evans – who had placed the ball – was waved aside by Fleetwood manager Joey Barton, before Madden saw his weak strike pushed away by goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin.
“There was a little bit of confusion, which is a shame,” said Barton. “Ched’s grabbed the ball, but Paddy is the penalty taker. What I was saying to them was ‘Don’t go away from the process’, and we spoke about that in the dressing room after the game.
“I’m disappointed that we didn’t put Sunderland to the sword, but there’s no blame attached to anyone, especially Paddy. He got the goal and, with the work he does off the ball, he’ll repay us over the course of the season.”
Barton said afterwards that “the tiny fishing village on the Fylde coast” is starting to believe, and little wonder.
Six divisions separated these sides a decade ago, their subsequent convergence testament to wildly differing fortunes.
For Fleetwood, investment, progress and aspiration. For Sunderland, chaos and neglect.
This was cocky upstart versus
decayed grandeur. Barton, never one to respect reputations, had rubbished talk of a David versus Goliath contest – despite the home crowd outnumbering the entire population of Fleetwood.
“On the pitch is where it matters,” said the former Newcastle midfielder. “And I just see us as better than them, man for man.”
So it proved for much of a onesided first half. The lead came courtesy of Madden, who leapt above a static Matthews to glance Ashley Hunter’s corner beyond McLaughlin.
Better finishing from Evans would have made it three by the quarter hour; the on-loan striker bizarrely chested over from six yards, then failed to connect when Madden looped a clever header across an open goal. It would prove costly. Sunder- land shook off their stupor and edged into the game, aided in no small part by the belligerence of Maja, who was rewarded with a fortunate fifth goal of the season.
Stretching to meet George Honeyman’s cross, the 19-yearold sent the ball in an awkward bouncing arc that flummoxed Alex Cairns, before spinning apologetically in off the far post.
Indebted to McLaughlin for his 48th-minute penalty save, the Black Cats then had Evans to thank, who capped a desperate afternoon by blasting a glorious chance into the side netting. Not to be outdone, Jack Baldwin somehow scooped Honeyman’s fabulous delivery over an open goal.
Sunderland lived up to their billing thereafter, roared forward by just over 29,000 home fans. Fleetwood, finally cowed, sat back, slowed down and wasted time. It worked, though they were indebted to a fine save from Cairns, who clawed Tom Flanagan’s header off his line from point-blank range.
“It was a very competitive game and I think a draw was a fair result,” said Sunderland manager Jack Ross.
“Am I disappointed we didn’t get three points? Yes. But we have to be careful that we don’t think we have a divine right to be at the top of the league.”