Evans pair helps Cod Army earn tidy point
FLEETWOOD head coach Joey Barton believes his side are learning how to play well away from home following their draw at Rotherham.
Ched Evans twice put Fleetwood in front, but the Millers rallied to ensure they stayed above their visitors in the table, with Freddie Ladapo and Matt Crooks ensuring a share of the spoils.
Barton said: “We have got the feelgood factor at home and we fancy our chances against anybody. The challenge is to build that on the road and that was a step in the right direction towards that.
“We knew we would have to attack. We would not come here and try to contain because they have got some firepower.
“I thought we were superb. The first half was as good as we have played away from home in my time here.
“They had nothing to lose in the second half because they were not in the ascendancy.”
Fleetwood fired an early warning shot through Kyle Dempsey when his effort beat Daniel Iversen but bounced off a post.
The visitors’ dominance continued but it took until the 26th minute until it fully paid off with Evans heading Lewie Coyle’s cross into the bottom corner.
Rotherham responded with the equaliser just past the hour mark, with Ladapo heading in Matthew Olosunde’s cross.
But their joy was short-lived as Fleetwood were back in front in the 63rd minute when Olosunde’s back-pass to Iversen fell way short and Evans nipped in to push the ball through the keeper’s legs.
Rotherham grabbed a point in the 80th minute with Crooks bundling in Adam Thompson’s scuffed effort.
Millers boss Paul Warne was forced to patch up his side with several players playing out of position. He said: “We had to jiggle the side quite a lot, but that aside we didn’t really play well enough in the first half. It looked lacklustre.
“I was pleased when we got back into it. I thought we would go on and win it.
“The second goal is a calamity really.
That is the nicest way to put it. We didn’t need that misfortune. But in fairness to the lads’ character we came back in it again.
“I thought we might nick it, but it wasn’t to be.”