COD ARMY IN LAND OF THE GIANTS
GRAHAM Alexander says his Fleetwood Town players are improving every time they play the ‘giants’ of League One.
First-half goals from Josh Morris and Nick Laughton sealed an impressive victory at Sheffield United for the Cod Army.
Matt Done gave lacklustre United some hope with a 39th-minute strike, before resolute Fleetwood defended superbly to seal their seventh away win of the campaign.
“You can see each time we play one of the big teams that the players are improving every time,” said Alexander.
“Every single player was superb. We played the game and not the crowd or the stadium and kept our composure when we needed it.
“I thought Mark Roberts and Nathan Pond were excellent as was the whole team at defending. We passed the ball when we needed to and did everything you have to do to win at places like this.
“This is a fantastic win.To compete at a place like this and win was something the club just could not imagine seven years ago.”
But despite the defeat, which was United’s second home loss in five days, Blades boss Nigel Clough said he was not disappointed with the performance.
“Our performance was not too bad, but we lacked the quality and the thought needed with our final ball,” said Clough.
“We have conceded six goals in our last three home games and you cannot do that and expect to win.
“We are just giving goals away at the moment. Iain Turner has made a mistake with their second goal, goalkeeping errors happen but it was at a time when we cannot afford them.
“The balance of the midfield was not right.We did not have a control of the game, but that is what happens when you play with two up top like people have been calling for.”
Chris Maxwell saved well at the feet of Steven Davies on 11 minutes as Sheffield United enjoyed the best of the early exchanges.
But it was Fleetwood who went ahead on 25 minutes when Morris hammered home his seventh of the season after Jamie Proctor steered Pond’s clearance into his path.
And it was 2-0 on 35 minutes when goalkeeper Turner was badly beaten at his near post by Haughton’s longrange effort.
However, Done steered home from a corner on 39 minutes to score his ninth of the season and get United back into the game.
Blades boss Clough was left fuming on 63 minutes when referee Darren Deadman waved away penalty shouts after Conor McLaughlin appeared to trip Jamie Murphy.
Maxwell acrobatically tipped over Michael Doyle’s close-range effort on 75 minutes as United upped the pressure. Done and Jay McEveley both fired wide in the closing stages as the impressive Fleetwood comfortably held out for a deserved win.